


Modern Hearts Won't Ever Leave

by sparkinside (boomersoonerash)



Series: Hanson Bingo [2]
Category: Hanson (Band)
Genre: Allergies, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Band, Alternate Universe - Not Related, Angst, Arguing, Bathing/Washing, Bathtubs, Bedroom Sex, Brother/Sister Incest, Christmas, Concerts, Cunnilingus, Dirty Talk, Engagement, Erotica, Ex Sex, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Extramarital Affairs, F/M, Falling In Love, Fan Soundtracks, Fanmix, Flashbacks, Floor Sex, Heterosexual Sex, Hospitals, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Incest, Infidelity, Jealousy, Kissing, Love Confessions, Making Love, Masturbation, Musician Taylor, Neck Kissing, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, Non-Linear Narrative, Oral Sex, Past Infidelity, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Relationship(s), Penis In Vagina Sex, Post-Coital Cuddling, Post-Divorce, Rape/Non-con Elements, Romance, Rough Kissing, Sexual Content, Shameless Smut, Sibling Incest, Smut, Thanksgiving, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vaginal Sex, Wedding Night, Wedding Rings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-07-04 03:44:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 50,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15833079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomersoonerash/pseuds/sparkinside
Summary: Avery goes to Taylor's concert three years after their divorce and things get a bit heated afterwards.





	1. And you ain't used to being honest, while I can only be sincere

**Author's Note:**

> This is a what could possibly happen in my fic Marriage and Other Dangerous Activities. Then again this outcome may not happen either. I just got this stuck in my head and had to get the fic out. It literally took on a life of it's own. This can also be read as a standalone fic.
> 
> For the Hanfic Bingo prompt: Breaking the rules
> 
> Part 2 will hopefully be up sometime this week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Biting her lip Avery turned to face Noelle after she put her hair up into a ponytail. Her makeup already having been done and her dress on for the night.

Avery feeling the black dress was a bit too tiny for the occasion but there was nothing she could do now. There was no way she was changing outfits.

"Is it breaking the rules to dress this slutty when going to your ex-husband's hometown show?" she asked with an arched eyebrow. Hating the way the word ex-husband sounded on her lips but in the end the crumbling of her marriage had been her fault.

Her affair with Zac had ruined everything, even if it had been Taylor's lie about his vasectomy that had finally lead her into his brother's arms. It had been something that they both had been bordering for awhile and the lie had been the final kick she needed to cross a line that in the end she couldn't come back from.

Especially when she had gotten pregnant by Zac. 

It was something Taylor it seemed couldn't look past. That his wife had his brother's baby and so he had left her and it had been three years now since she last saw him.

Despite the fact that she shared a daughter with his brother. A bubbly two and a half year old redheaded little girl named Josephine. Joey for short.

Zac having her tonight because it was his weekend with their daughter.

Another thing Avery regretted. That her marriage had ended all because of an affair that in the end didn't go anywhere for either of them.

In the end she and Zac were just co-parents to Joey which was probably best since Zac was still working on his own life issues of how he'd never truly felt wanted by any woman in his life.

It was probably why they had never worked in the end.

Avery wasn't the person who could help him through those issues.

"It's only breaking the rules if you have sex with him," Noelle shrugged with a laugh. Her hand landing on her belly which was slowly getting bigger now that she was six months pregnant with her second child.

Blushing Avery shook her head, "I doubt that is going to happen," she said knowing there was no chance they'd hook up. It had been three years and things had ended badly between them.

Bad enough that his last album had been all about her and her affair. His fans well and truly hated her and she almost felt self-conscious about going. Even more so when she remembered that Brandon had snagged first row tickets for them.

Taylor wouldn't fuck her afterward but at least he'd know she was there and she was almost dreading that moment.

*****

"I made him fumble during a song," Avery frowned to herself as she exited the venue with Noelle hours later. Still feeling a bit of a high from the concert. "He took one look at me and forgot lyrics."

"Oh Avie," Noelle sighed with a shake of her head. "At least he didn't look at you like he wanted to murder you or anything."

"No, that was just all the fans around us," Avery replied hating that it felt like everyone had been death glaring her the entire concert, especially more after Taylor's on stage mess up.

She swore she had even heard the girls behind her make some sort of comment about it. Comment about her, and to Avery it had bordered on slutshaming.

Something that sometimes she felt she deserved, since she had been who Taylor cheated on Natalie with and then she had went and cheated on him with Zac.

She deserved all the slutshaming she got.

Before Noelle could say anything else though both women abruptly came to a stop as Taylor's personal bodyguard, a woman he had for years came to stand in front of them. Avery raising an eyebrow at the sight of Rebecca.

"Bex?" she asked a bit curiously because this was the last thing she expected. She had just expected to come and leave.

Not be stopped by Taylor's bodyguard on the way out.

"Taylor's asking to see you," Bex revealed, a hint of wariness to her voice. "I've been told to bring you to his tour bus," she continued before turning to look at Noelle. "Alone," she added on and Avery paled some at that.

Not sure what Taylor would want with her alone but she slowly nodded her head, giving a look to Noelle silently, that told her to keep her cell on because she'd probably need her later.

After giving Noelle that look Avery followed Bex as she lead her out of the venue and towards the tour busses. Avery doing her best to look down, not wanting whatever crazy fangirls that were close by to see her.

There was no telling what they'd say if they did.

Once they were on the tour bus Avery looked up at Bex, seeing her motion with her head for Avery to go down the hall and Avery knew then that Taylor was in the back room of the bus.

It wasn't much of a shock to Avery from his previous tours when they had been married. He liked to go back there and unwind after shows, a bottle of beer usually in his hand then.

Sometimes occasionally when Avery had been on the road with him they had made love once or twice back there after shows. Taylor always claiming performing concerts got him hard and excited and the best way to come down was to actually just come.

Avery had always laughed at him and called him crazy.

Taking a deep breath Avery walked down to the backroom, chewing on her lip when she went inside. Her heart feeling like it had skipped a beat the moment Taylor looked at her. Their eyes locking for the second time tonight and Avery could almost pretend she hadn't burned any bridges with him.

That they were still married and in love and that Joey was their daughter.

But she wasn't and they weren't...or well Taylor didn't love her. Avery swore she'd always love Taylor. It was something she'd have to live with and suffer with the fact of knowing she'd ruined it all.

"You can shut the door behind you," Taylor told her so casually as if no time had passed between them.

Nodding her head Avery did as she was told. Barely feeling the bus take off as she shut the door, which made her even more curious.

Where were they going and why was she along for the ride?

"You wanted to see me?" Avery asked as she turned to face him again once the door was shut, deciding to she might as well rip the bandaid off.

What was the use of beating around the bush?

Taylor chuckled some as he looked away from her. The action surprising Avery because she hadn't expected that, she had expected harsh words and angry glares.

Not damn chuckles as he looked away from her.

"I did," Taylor nodded his head as he took a sip from the beer in his hand. The hand not holding the beer motioning for her to sit down beside him. 

Avery looked at him warily and then looked at the spot beside him warily, another chuckle leaving Taylor then.

"I don't bite," he spoke as his eyes met hers again and she had to shiver at the dark shade his eyes had gone. "Unless you want me too," he smirked and Avery knew now she had to be losing her mind.

There was no way the man she hadn't seen in three years was flirting with her. Things had ended badly and World War Three should be happening right now.

Swallowing hard she moved to sit down beside him finally. Not missing the way his eyes went to her legs as she crossed them.

A blush forming on her cheeks and she was sure at least now some color had returned to her because she felt like she had stayed as pale as a ghost since Bex had came for her.

"I wasn't expecting to see you tonight," Taylor told her the moment she had sat down. "Didn't even know you had heard the album."

"Of course I heard it," Avery told him honestly. "I had to hear the entire album you wrote about our divorce," she said as she locked eyes with him again. His eyes only seeming to get darker at her words. "Never expected to have an entire country album written about me."

"Never should have broke the heart of a country singer," Taylor countered but there was no anger in his words and maybe three years apart had helped him some. "I am sorry," he apologized and his words surprised her. "I was so damn bitter and I painted you in a bad light," he sighed before taking another drink of his beer.

Avery half wishing she were drunk because she felt like she needed alcohol in her system to get her through this conversation.

"I deserved it," Avery told him with a sad smile. "I hurt you and I deserved everything you said," she shrugged having come to terms with things. "But it's been three years right? You said what you needed to say and you've moved on yeah?" she asked because she knew he had.

Every tabloid on earth told her about the new woman in his life. That he was dating a woman who was Penny's teacher..or well no, they were engaged now.

People Magazine had gotten that exclusive, just like they had gotten Taylor on record admitting that he had finally gotten his Vasectomy reversed and how he hoped to have kids with his new woman.

Something that Avery had to admit, hurt because how long had she wanted that from him and he had denied her of it until the last possible minute? Only getting the reversal two months before Avery had found out about Joey being on the way and by then it was too late.

She couldn't have Taylor's baby when she had been pregnant with Zac's and now some new woman would get to have his baby.

"Yeah, I've moved on," Taylor agreed but Avery swore there was something missing in his voice. Though she couldn't place what it was exactly. 

Forcing a smile Avery looked away from his gaze as she reached up to take her hair out of it's ponytail. Needing something to distract her.

"So, where are we going?" she asked him before chewing on her lip again.

"Home," Taylor answered so casually and Avery turned her head fast, seeing the way realization hit Taylor at what he had said. "My home, I mean," he corrected himself and now he was the one blushing. "Tonight was the last show and you know how I am...I always just want to get home."

Again Avery forced a smile but she nodded her head, knowing exactly how Taylor was on last show days, even when they weren't hometown ones.

He'd always be in a mood to get back home to her, mainly because by then they hadn't seen each other in weeks and he'd always claim he'd been missing her.

Avery swore sometimes he just missed the sex but maybe he had missed her too. Missed the closeness of her and sex always did seem to bring them closer even at the end of their marriage.

Before she could say more though the bus came to a stop and Avery looked at Taylor, watching as he stood from his seat and she followed behind him. Listening as he told the driver to come back tomorrow so he could get his stuff off of it. That he was just too tired tonight and Avery blushed again, not missing the knowing look the driver gave her as she exited the bus with Taylor.

Like he expected something more than just sleeping to happen tonight and Avery wanted to deny it but she knew how this looked.

Taylor bringing his ex-wife to the house they used to share together when it was late.

"Is he going to take Bex home?" Avery asked curiously as she walked beside Taylor once they were off the bus. 

"Oh, I'm sure he'll take her home," Taylor spoke with amusement. "He'll probably stay the night too because I'm sure they've been hooking up for almost the entire tour," he admitted and Avery just turned to look at him seeing a serious look on his face.

The news shocking her because she had never even known that Bex had an interest in dating.

"Interesting," Avery said as she paused in her steps the moment they reached the porch. Watching as Taylor reached into his jeans for the keys.

A silence lingering between them as he unlocked the door quickly, turning the lights on as they stepped inside.

Avery hating how quickly she looked around the place as well as hating the sick feeling in her stomach at the pictures on the wall in the foyer. Pictures of Taylor and his fiancee either alone or with Ezra and Penny.

It was a reminder that she was no longer in his life. That they'd never have pictures hung on the wall together again.

She'd fucked up and everything in this place felt like one giant slap in the face to her.

"So, why am I here?" Avery asked once Taylor had shut the door behind them. Hoping he hadn't heard the bitterness in her voice or even seen the way she had looked at the pictures.

The frozen reminders of the life Avery had given up.

Taylor chuckled again as he stepped closer to Avery. Avery feeling the heat of his body behind hers which made her shiver some. 

"Don't play dumb," he told her like he was scolding a child and his words again made her blush. Avery not sure how much one could blush in one night but surely there had to be a limit, right? "You know why I brought you here," he said as he finally let an arm slide around her waist.

Avery feeling her eyes fall shut as his free hand moved the hair off her neck. His lips soon making contact with her skin and she almost wanted to laugh at the scratchy feeling his beard caused because she wasn't used to him with a beard.

When they had been married he kept his face clean shaven and now for the past few months he had been resembling a mountain man.

Avery hating the way she had kept such tabs on her ex-husband in the press or through social media.

"I want you," Taylor muttered onto her skin as his lips trailed to her ear. "I want you so fucking bad and I have ever since I saw you during the show," he admitted and before Avery could even open her mouth to tell him this was wrong. Remind him that he was engaged, he was pushing into her from behind and she could feel how much he wanted her. Any sensible thoughts or words she had leaving her because fucking hell he wanted her and she had never thought they'd get this opportunity again.

Turning in his arms she just looked up at him briefly before leaning in to kiss him on the lips again. Her eyes falling shut once more when Taylor kissed her back almost forcefully.

Her mouth parting for his tongue when it darted out and she just gave up control. Letting him lead things which apparently meant him pushing her into a wall rather harshly, Avery hearing it the moment a picture on the wall fell and shattered when it hit the floor.

Avery hating the petty thought she had that maybe it was an omen that his engagement with his new woman was doomed. Not that what they were doing couldn't be an indication of that too after all.

What truly happy person had to turn to another person when in a relationship?

It was something Avery had learned the hard way during her own affair. Just like she was sure Taylor had learned it too when he had cheated on Natalie with her.

Yet here he was again breaking the rules by clearly wanting to cheat with her on another woman.

Pulling away from the kiss after a while Avery looked at Taylor, her hands going to his button down shirt which she began to undo slowly.

"I want you too," she told him as she licked at her own lips. "Need you inside of me," she whispered like it was a secret though she knew he could hear her. "My cunts aching for you right now," she smirked once all of the buttons on his shirt were undone but she left his shirt on him.

Not taking it off just yet.

"But I don't want you take me here like I'm some whore," she told him honestly because while some days maybe she felt like one...had even heard him say as much on his album she didn't want to be treated like one tonight. "I don't want you here in this foyer surrounded by pictures of your fiancee. I want you in a bedroom where you can make love to me."

Feeling the way Taylor eyed her after that, Avery was half afraid maybe she pushed her boundaries. Maybe she had stepped over some invisible line that Taylor had.

But those fears died away when Taylor leaned in, kissing her softly on the lips as his both of his arms went to her waist. Avery letting out a small squeal into his mouth when he picked her up. Her legs finding their way around his waist as he carried her upstairs.

Their kiss never once breaking as he did that and Avery had to admit she was surprised because she knew Taylor was a klutz.

He always had been and the last thing she had wanted was to wind up on the floor with something broken. Wasn't sure how she'd explain that injury to Noelle or anyone else who knew her.

When they made it to a bedroom, it was Taylor who pulled away from the kiss, long enough to put Avery back down and Avery was almost thankful for that.

Just a tiny bit.

Biting her lip as she looked into his eyes she slowly turned away from him, moving her hair to the side before turning her head to give him her best seductive look. Not that she had to do much seducing him when he was already hers tonight.

"You mind unzipping my dress?" she asked him as she batted her eyelashes. "It's kind of a bit hot," she told him watching as he only rolled his eyes playfully but he moved to where she was, complying to what she wanted.

His hand going to the zip on her dress which he undid for her and after the dress was undone, Avery took her arms out of the sleeves. Letting the dress quickly fall down around her, leaving her in nothing but her underwear.

Some red lacy number she had bought last year when she had briefly dated that college boy who had made her feel younger than what she really was.

The boy who in the end hadn't wanted anything serious, especially not with a single mother. Avery realizing after it was too late she probably hadn't wanted anything serious from him either and Noelle had always liked to tease her that he had looked like a younger Taylor.

Had said she had been using strangers to fill the hole in her life Taylor had left and maybe she had been.

Turning around to face Taylor after the dress was gone, Avery swallowed hard as she felt him look her over. Knowing her body had changed since the last time he had seen her naked. She had stretchmarks and a bit of a belly that refused to go away even two and half years after Joey's birth.

"I...I know I've...I'm not as pretty as I used to be," she told him hating the hitch in her voice. Hated that apparently she was insecure in her body around the man who had seen her naked more than anyone else ever had besides herself.

Taylor shook his head as his eyes landed back on hers again. "You're still god damn beautiful Avie," he whispered out before closing the distance between them. His lips crashing against hers again and this time as they kissed her eyes closed.

Her hands somehow finding their way to his shirt which she finally pushed off him. Knowing it had fallen to the floor along with her dress.

Avery moaning out softly as his lips moved down to her neck again. The beard this time not making her want to laugh. Instead it seemed to heighten her arousal. Made her ache for him even more.

"Want to show you just how beautiful you are," Taylor spoke against her skin, his breath hitting her and making a shiver run down her spine. "Can I do that Avie? Can I make love to you and show you how beautiful you are?" he asked her softly in between kisses on her neck.

Avery only being capable of nodding her head. The action being what Taylor needed to lay her on the bed and the minute her back was on it and Taylor was above her, Avery pulled him down for a kiss.

A kiss that both of them only seemed to part from when they removed their remaining clothes but even that was done slowly it seemed or maybe Avery was just a needy bitch who needed Taylor inside of her badly.

Breathing hard when he finally pulled away to get a condom, Avery reached for his arm to stop him. Shaking her head when he looked down at her curiously.

"I want to feel you inside of me," she told him with a whine to her voice. Not the irritating whine but the kind of whine that one only seems to let out during sex. "God..I just...I need to feel you inside of me without anything Tay," she admitted as she blushed, hating how much she just wanted to feel him bare and inside of her.

The best kind of skin to skin contact there was during sex.

"Please," she added on knowing she was bordering on begging now. "I want to feel all of you inside of my cunt," she sighed out.

Her eyes rolling shut when Taylor leaned down to kiss her all sloppy and half greedy. Like her lips were all his and no one else's and fuck if she got a second chance she would have made sure that she stayed all his and no one else's.

"You don't know what you do to me when you talk like that," Taylor told her as he pulled away from the kiss. His hands going down to her hips. "You don't want to be treated like a whore but you talk like one sometimes," he told her before finally slipping inside of her and as he did so Avery's eyes shut tighter at that full feeling.

She was full of Taylor's cock and it felt so good. 

"Because it gets you off," Avery told him as she opened her eyes again to look up at him. "I talk like that because I know it gets you off," she admitted before a moan slipped out of her mouth as Taylor began to thrust inside of her.

His nails digging into her hips some. Like he was trying to punish her for that admission but she doubted he was. Knew he probably liked knowing she did that to get him off.

"And you like getting me off?" Taylor asked her softly as his lips went to her neck which he nipped at lightly. "How many other men have you gotten off with that dirty mouth of yours?" he questioned and Avery knew, she just knew in her gut he was asking her how many men she had fucked since the last time he was with her.

The last time being the day their divorce had been finalized and they had some weird grief sex in the front seat of his truck on the way home from the courthouse.

"Just one," Avery admitted as she thought of the college boy again. "Some freshmen boy in college last year," she told him like she was confessing her sins to a priest.

Taylor let out a growl then as he nipped at her neck once more. This time it wasn't a light nip either but one that caused her pain.

But she wasn't complaining, she loved the pain.

"Could he fuck you like this?" Taylor asked against her skin as he deliberately slowed his thrusts down. His cock staying inside of her longer each time before slowly going out. "Could he fuck you this damn good?" he asked another question sounding so sure of himself.

So sure that he was good at what he did and well he had that right because he was. He was probably her best lover, something she could admit too now that everything with Zac was over.

Avery shook her head as she opened her eyes now. "No one fucks me as good as you Tay," she told him honestly her words making him lift his head as he looked down at her and she gave him a tiny smile. "No one has ever fucked me as good as you can," she said hoping he got her meaning.

That she was letting him know that even his brother, the ex-porn star couldn't compare to him.

"Don't say things you don't mean," Taylor spoke his voice having a harsh edge to it and she frowned slightly. "It's not nice to lie."

"I'm not lying," Avery told him as she leaned up to kiss him briefly on the lips. "You're literally the best I've had," she whispered against his lips.

Her words getting lost in another kiss. Taylor finally picking up his pace again and Avery let her hands hold onto his back as she let herself start to move with him.

His name eventually falling from her lips when she came. Feeling the way he stilled inside of her not long after and she knew from that, he too had came.

His come slowly running down her thigh as he moved out of her not long after. Both of them staying silent as they struggled to catch their breath.

Avery not even fighting to stay awake long after she could breath normally. Though she knew she probably should have. Knew they probably needed to discuss what had happened and the ten billion rules they had broken tonight but there was always tomorrow.

They could talk tomorrow or so she told herself as she drifted off to sleep.

*****

Waking the next morning to the sound of Taylor's cell phone ringing, Avery opened her eyes as she turned her head to look at Taylor who it seemed had also been roused from his own sleep.

Avery watching as he reached for the phone and offered whoever it was a sleepy hello. Not missing the way it seemed he sat up quickly after a while. His sleepy tone soon becoming panicked at whatever was being discussed. Avery getting the gist it had to be his fiancee on the other end of the line and whatever she was saying wasn't good.

But Avery waited until he hung up get an explanation.

"What did she want?" Avery asked him the minute he was off the phone. Her hand automatically going up to brush some hair out of his eyes.

"She's on her way here," Taylor told her and his words made Avery move to sit up fast. "She was out of town for a bachelorette party and she wasn't supposed to get back until tonight but she caught an early flight. Wanted to surprise me because she missed me."

"Oh boy," Avery said faking an enthusiasm. "Well it is a surprise," she muttered out before slipping from the bed. Looking for the clothes she had taken off last night.

Taylor let out a frustrated sigh which made Avery stop to look at him after she had all of her clothes. "Don't act like this," he told her as they locked eyes and the way he looked at her, it made her feel so dirty. "Like you expected one night could change everything between us because it can't. You cheated on me and you have a family with my brother. You have a forever tie to the man you had an affair with and every time I look at that child...at Joey all I am going to see is my brother and you in bed together. All I'm going to do is wonder if you're fucking him again and I can't..I can't live like that Avie. So don't act like you expected one simple fuck to change everything."

"I didn't," Avery lied as she shook her head, blinking back the tears that had gathered there. "Trust me I didn't. I know you still hate me obviously," she told him refusing to let herself cry right now even as she swallowed a lump in her throat. "But I hope you can live with knowing that you aren't any better than me. You cheated on your fiancee and god...what would've happened if it was my fertile days Tay? What would she do if I got pregnant with your baby and she had to swallow the pill that you cheated and had a baby with someone that wasn't her?" she asked him knowing she was hitting him with low blows.

But he had done the same to her.

"It...last night wasn't was it?" Taylor asked her almost in a panic again. Like he was scared that he had actually gotten her pregnant which was funny since there had once been a time when he would have been thrilled to get her pregnant.

Avery shook her head as she locked eyes with Taylor, "No," she lied so effortlessly as if it was nothing. As if she was used to lying. "I'm not fertile for another week," she said before turning on her heels to go to the bathroom and change clothes as well as wash up some.

Knowing she needed to leave before his fiancee got there. As well as stop by the pharmacy and buy a morning after pill before what she said to him did become the truth.


	2. You say you love me then you're wrecking my heart

Avery turned her head as she looked down at her daughter who was finishing up her breakfast. The syrup that had been on her pancakes it seemed was more on her and the top of the high chair then in her belly which meant a morning bath before their daily visit to the library and the park as well as the doctor visit they had in an hour thanks to Joey getting sick the other day when she had been at Noelle's because Noelle's son had been sick too.

It wasn't something Avery liked to do. Giving Joey a bath twice in the same day because Joey it seemed hated bathtimes. Usually ran from her at night when Avery even mentioned the word bath so there was no telling what she'd do this morning.

"We can't get a doggy," she told her daughter as she sat down at the table in a chair that was directly in front of Joey's highchair.

Bringing up the request that Joey had asked her for.

"I can't take care of you and a puppy by myself sweet Josephine," she smiled with a roll of her eyes.

"But daddy has a doggy," Joey pouted in between bites of her food. Her brown eyes even looking sad and god she really was one for the dramatics. "He has a doggy and he has a me."

Laughing Avery only shook her head, "He does have you but only every other weekend. Therefor he isn't full time taking care of a you and a doggy," she told her daughter knowing that Zac had it easier.

He could handle a dog and a two year old at the same time since he only ever had both every other weekend. 

In the end Zac had gotten off easy when it came to custody of their daughter though she knew he never saw it that way. He'd always accused her of making him seem worse than what he was to the judge and that was why the custody was more on her side.

He always threatened to take her back to court to get it changed but he hadn't yet. 

Joey again pouted but she seemed to give up her argument on getting a dog. Instead she finished eating her food in silence.

Avery taking it because it was rare when her daughter was silent.

Though the silence gave Avery time to think and as she thought she couldn't help but go back to last month and the concert where she had met up with Taylor again.

Remembered vividly still how he had taken her home and had sex with her. Only to remind her that he still wasn't over what she had done even if he was sorry for the awful things he had said about her on his album.

It was a night that was Avery's little secret because she hadn't told anyone. Not even Noelle and god knew Noelle had asked.

Still asked occasionally even now but Avery did her best to ignore Noelle and change the subject. Not wanting to admit that she had let herself fall so easily back into Taylor's bed like she was the woman still in love with him.

Then again she was the woman still in love with him.

"Done mama," Joey spoke bringing Avery out of her thoughts and she forced a smile as she looked at Joey. Almost swearing that Joey had even more syrup on her now.

It was also in her hair now it seemed and that really was going to be a bitch to wash out.

Standing from her seat, Avery walked to the highchair, "And now it's time for your bath you messy girl," she told her already seeing the disdain on Joey's face. "No arguing with me today Josephine Rae," she said using Josephine's full name. "We have a visit to the Doctor and if you feel up to it then we'll go to the library and the park but you're going to need a bath for both of those," she continued as she got Joey out of her highchair.

Holding her daughter firmly on her hip even if it meant she too was going to get some of the syrup on her as well.

Joey seemed to deflate at her words but instead of arguing she just put her head on Avery's shoulder and Avery leaned down, kissing her sticky forehead.

Knowing she really must have been sick because this was the second argument she had given up easily and usually she was hard headed and never gave up easily.

*****

_Sitting in the bathroom with a pregnancy test, Avery felt tears well up in her eyes as she looked down at the positive test result on it. Almost wanting to throw it away, throw it out and just forget it existed but she couldn't._

_She couldn't forget because in a matter of months she'd be showing and there was no way to hide from her husband that she was pregnant._

_Avery doing the calculations in her head being half positive she was three months along by now. She had that half of a period two months ago but it had been lighter and not as long as her regular one and she wasn't even sure if she counted it as a period._

_So yeah, she was three months and that meant there was no way it was Taylor's baby she was pregnant with. There was no way her husband was the father of this baby regardless of the fact that he had his vasectomy reversed so that they could have kids._

_She was pregnant by his brother and it was the last thing they needed. Not when they were trying to work through the fallout of the affair which she had admitted too just a month before Taylor got the reversal done._

_Avery having no choice but to admit it because Taylor had cornered her when he was drunk. Threw Zac's sketchbook at her as his way of letting her know he knew._

_He knew about the four month long affair she had been having with his brother and Avery confirmed it. Almost afraid she'd lose him then but she hadn't._

_Instead they had spent weeks talking about how things had just fallen apart between them and they had also spent those weeks making love. Having some of the best sex they'd ever had._

_Taylor deciding to drop the news on her while they were in a post sex bliss one night. Just telling her that he had done it. He had his vasectomy reversed and Avery of course figured it had to have been sometime that week._

_They had been apart that week as he had been in New York doing some work in a studio there and she had been home here in Nashville._

_If she had been wrong Taylor had never corrected her but she didn't think she had been and now as she looked down at the pregnancy test again she hated that she wasn't wrong._

_Was scared of what this baby would do to her and Taylor._

*****

"So you're not going to tell me if you did sleep with Taylor?" Noelle asked as she and Avery sat on the park bench later that day.

Joey wasn't with them though Noelle had brought her son but Joey after the visit to the doctor hadn't felt up to coming. Avery calling Zac up to ask if he could watch Joey which she knew was iffy because she never knew what his schedule was.

He wasn't a pornstar anymore but he was directing pornos at a little studio he had bought. His own porn production company and surprisingly he was doing good for himself money wise at least. Even if emotionally and mentally he still refused to treat old childhood hurts.

Avery not sure if he would but she really hoped he did.

"It's been a month and you're still asking," Avery sighed with a roll of her eyes. "I guess maybe I should tell you," she muttered hating the gleeful look on her friends face. "But yes, Taylor and I had sex and the whole night was perfect. It was the next day that wasn't so perfect."

Noelle wrinkled her forehead in confusion, her hand falling to her belly. An action Noelle seemed to do a lot more when she got confused, her belly just happening to be there for her hand to land on now that she was showing.

"What happened the morning after? Did he wake up and profess his undying love for you only for you to be a cold hearted bitch and refuse him despite your undying love for him too."

Laughing a bit bitterly Avery shook her head, "More like his fiancee was coming home from a trip early to surprise him and he got mad because of how I acted after. He's...he'll never get over the fact that I had an affair with Zac and that Joey is his brother's child. Regardless of the fact that I ended the affair after he knew because I loved him that much."

Noelle frowned at that as she reached out to put a hand on Avery's back comfortingly, "You know, I still don't really get why you kept Joey," she admitted and her words surprised Avery. "Don't take it wrong I love Joey and I think the world be a much darker place without sweet Josephine in it but if I had an affair on Brandon and then got pregnant there is no way I would have kept my affair partner's baby. Especially if I knew my husband would hate me or not even want to fix the marriage."

"I couldn't abort Joey," Avery admitted as she took a drink of the coffee in her hand. "I loved her and she was...I'd always wanted to be a mother so bad. It was Taylor taking away that option at first that even lead me into Zac's arms and then once I did have that option with my husband two months later I find out it can't happen because I'm already carrying his brother's child. But even then I didn't want to get rid of the baby I finally waited so long to have even if that baby wasn't fathered by the man I had saw her being fathered by."

"I guess that makes sense," Noelle nodded her head though she didn't quite look like she truly got it and Avery wasn't even sure if she had explained it well.

But Joey had been the baby she had always wanted and she had still wanted her regardless of who her father was. She had just hoped Taylor would have accepted Joey regardless of it too and loved her because she was Avery's. 

Much like Zac always still claimed he had done with Ezra. He had loved him without even knowing who the father was for the first year of the baby's life and he would have continued too if Taylor hadn't stepped in and married Natalie.

Only finally sucking it up once he knew that Ezra was his child and not Zac's.

*****

_"You fucking whore," Taylor spat at his got up in Avery's face, Avery having to back away because she was physically scared of him right now._

_She knew in her gut that he wouldn't hurt her but he was drunk and sometimes when drunk he was known to border the edge of violent._

_Like that time he had forced himself on her sexually. Even if she had caved in the end._

_"Tay I'm sorry," Avery apologized as her back hit the wall. A lump forming in her throat as she shook her head. "I never...god I never planned on getting pregnant by Zac," she told him honestly because it was the truth._

_This pregnancy hadn't been planned though it also hadn't been prevented either. They'd never used protection when having sex and she wasn't stupid and neither was Zac. They both knew what unprotected sex could lead too._

_Taylor let out an angry chuckle as he backed off Avery some, a hand racking through his hair. "Sure you didn't," he retorted clearly not buying the words she was telling him. "You had sex with my brother for four months without condoms and you never thought once that you could get pregnant?" he asked her and his words made her blush._

_"God and to think I thought you were smart enough to actually use condoms with him, especially when you were still having sex with me," he muttered out as the hand that went through his hair made it's way down his face. "He...you better hope to god his ass is clean because if I get an STD because of him your baby isn't going to have a father," he warned her with an edge to his voice that she didn't like._

_Looking away from him Avery moved away from the wall as she started towards Taylor again. Not even sure what she wanted to say or do but she wanted to comfort him somehow._

_Not even sure how because she was a wreck too. They were both emotional wrecks and maybe this conversation should just end for tonight._

_They could talk again tomorrow when he was sober and they had both slept._

_"Don't," Taylor told her before she could make it to him. "I don't want you near me right now Avery," he said as he glared at her. "I don't even want you in my house."_

_"Where do you want me to go then?" Avery questioned because she had nowhere to go. There was no way she could run to her sister and her mom had already disowned her when she had been the reason Taylor left Natalie._

_So there was no way se could go there either. Her devout Catholic mother would just laugh in her face and tell her this is what she deserved._

_"At this point in time you could go to hell for all I care," Taylor answered his words colder than Avery had ever heard them before. "I...I just can't be with you anymore," he sighed and his words hurt and surprised her because up until today they had been talking about saving their marriage._

_Going to counseling once his album was done._

_"I thought you wanted to fix us?" Avery asked him her voice cracking as even more tears found their way down her cheeks. "You said just the other day we could..."_

_"I know what I said," Taylor growled as he interrupted her. "But all that was before tonight when you decided to tell me you were having my brother's baby. That you're three months pregnant by him to be exact," he sighed with a shake of his head repeating the words she had told him._

_It was something she had confirmed by a doctor because she had wanted it confirmed. Needed it to be that way before telling Taylor._

_"I can't be with you when I can't love his child," Taylor finished as he locked eyes with her._

_Avery having to tear her gaze off him because she knew he meant his words. He'd never love the baby growing inside of her because it was Zac's baby._

_It was a fact that wanted to make Avery laugh because wasn't that the same reason Diana had given Walker when she up and left him as well as her two sons Isaac and Taylor himself when Walker had brought Zac home to raise._

_She couldn't love a baby that wasn't biologically hers and now it seemed Taylor was following in his mother's footsteps._

_Avery feeling thankful at least that they had no existing children before now. Because knowing him he'd probably have abandoned them too. Something she wouldn't have said a year ago but then again a year ago she hadn't known he could lie so much._

_Lie to her about a vasectomy and then also keep her in the dark about Ezra. How it had taken a year for him to step up to the plate and that Zac and Natalie had been the ones raising him._

_Taylor only deciding too once he knew he was the father._

_"You're a coward," Avery told him as she turned her back on him to head upstairs to pack some things. She wasn't sure where she was going but she knew if he wanted her gone she'd leave._

_Hell, she wasn't even sure she could be around him right now either._

*****

Avery who had been in the middle of catching up on the last few episodes of The Walking Dead paused the show when she heard her cell phone ringing.

The ringtone being the one she had set for Zac which confused her because she wasn't sure why he was calling. Though she figured it had to do with Joey because he had offered in a text that afternoon just to keep her the rest of the day.

Claiming that she was sick and being a clingy daddy's girl. Something Avery believed because even on days when she wasn't sick she favored Zac much more than she favored Avery. Always wanting her daddy and not understanding why he couldn't just be there.

It was enough that Avery dreaded when she got just a bit older and realized most of her friends had both parents living at home or at least some form of both parents even if they weren't all straight couples.

"Hello?" Avery asked once she clicked to answer his call. Leaving her phone on speaker instead of putting it to her ear.

"Avie," Zac spoke his voice coming out rushed. "God..it's Joey," he said his voice sounding so hurt that Avery felt her heart stop in her chest. She didn't know what was wrong with her daughter but she knew whatever it was, it was bad. "I gave her the medicine like it said to do and it...fuck it didn't make her better and I know medicines usually don't work the first time but I swear she just got worse on me. I had to call dad and Vickie because I didn't know what to do. She was having trouble breathing and she was broke out and I think.."

"What the fuck did you do Zachary?" Avery said knowing she was being harsh but she couldn't take the panicked rambling he was doing.

There was something wrong with her daughter and she didn't have time for that.

"They told me to bring her to ER so I did. We're here now...dad and Vickie are here too but you...you should come," Zac sighed and she knew he wasn't asking her to come.

He was telling her and she didn't need to be told. The moment he had finished his sentence she was up off the couch, tv show be damned.

Her daughter was having some sort of emergency and she was going to be there. After all besides her birth this was Joey's first time in an actual hospital for any ailment.

Avery knowing she had to be incredibly lucky with that but Joey while sassy and sometimes a klutz, had yet to break any bones or get seriously sick until now.

*****

_Sitting in the hospital bed with Joey in her arms, Avery couldn't help but smile down at her daughter. Tears wanting to come out but she didn't want to cry right now even if at least for the first time in months these would be happy tears._

_All the other tears she had cried these last few months had been sad ones but her life seemed more sad than happy right now._

_The ending of her marriage, it was something Avery had taken hard. But maybe now with her daughter here things would get better._

_They'd have too because she now had a little tiny human that depended on her._

_"She's beautiful isn't she?" Vickie asked bringing Avery out of her thoughts and she blushed because she had almost forgotten that Zac's stepmother was here. "Though I think all babies are beautiful," she continued as she reached over to adjust Joey's cap._

_Some of her red hair peeking out at them. A sight that had surprised Avery because she hadn't been expecting her daughter to be a redhead._

_"She is," Avery agreed as her smile grew some the moment Joey opened her eyes to look at both her and Vickie._

_"But you feel something is missing?" Vickie asked her, her voice soft like they were trading secrets or some girly gossip. "Just the way you said it, it seems like there was a unsaid but in your statement."_

_Nodding her head Avery tore her gaze off Joey, "But I wish Taylor had been here," she confessed admitting what she hadn't allowed herself to say during her whole pregnancy._

_That Taylor should have been there because this is what she had wanted with him. She had wanted a baby and just all those moments during a pregnancy and now after with him._

_Taylor wasn't there though and in the end it was all her fault, she knew as much. If she hadn't cheated. If she had just stopped everything before it started. If she had made Zac wear a condom. If Taylor had just never lied to her about his vasectomy. If he had never gotten one._

_So many damn what-ifs._

_None of them could change what happened and none of them could bring Taylor back to her. Have him being the one she was experiencing the happiest moment of her life with._

_"I know you do," Vickie frowned as she put an arm around Avery's shoulder. "I'm sure he wishes he were here too."_

_Avery rolled her eyes at that comment. Doubting that Taylor wished he were here at all._

_Taylor didn't love her and no matter how much she wanted it to be so, he would never love this beautiful child in her arms._

*****

Arriving at the hospital quicker than what she usually would have, Avery got out of her car and soon ran inside. Only slowing down when she reached the er waiting room. Spotting Vickie and Walker sitting side by side in chairs, both of them looking as exhausted as she already felt.

"Walker?" Avery asked the minute she reached them. Her voice cracking as she felt tears in her eyes. "Is..."

"Zac's back in the room with Joey," Walker said as he stood from his seat, putting a hand on her shoulder. "The doctor came out not long before you got here and Joey's awake and alert and doing better now," he said and Avery wanted to almost ask what he meant by awake.

Had Zac left out somethings because she wouldn't put it past him. He would have kept it to himself if it was worse than he thought she needed to know.

"They think she had an allergic reaction to the Amoxicillin she was prescribed today. They think she has a Penicillin allergy," Walker continued as he rubbed her back some. "It's usually something genetic so it probably came from your side of the family."

Shaking her head Avery gave Walker a quizzical look. "No," she told him a bit blunt. "I'm not..no one in my family has a Penicillin allergy," she said because if she had thought that she would have brought it up with the doctor's before today.

Walker seemed to pause at her words then. Avery half sure he was looking at her like she had been looking at him moments ago which made her feel uneasy.

"Taylor has a Penicillin allergy," he told her as he moved his hand off her back. "It comes from Diana and somehow Isaac got lucky because he didn't get it. But all of....both of Taylor's children have that allergy."

Avery only swallowed hard at that admission because somehow it was another thing she hadn't known about her ex-husband. Something else he had kept from her and something she had only found out three years after the divorce.

"Oh," she muttered out not sure what else to say.

Not sure what her brain was trying to tell her either.

Before she could say more if she wanted too or before Walker could Vickie who had remained seated stood up. "Will you just tell the poor woman what room Joey is in so she can see her baby," she said as she looked between them and Avery knew Vickie had heard their conversation.

The woman was just saving them from anymore awkward moments and she was thankful for that...but also she really just wanted to be with her daughter right now too.

*****

"Is she asleep now?" Avery questioned Zac as he slipped inside of her bedroom hours after they had gotten back from the er.

Joey who had been whiny and clingy ever since her scare had wanted both of them with her and how could they deny her of what she wanted?

They couldn't so Zac had just came to Avery's house with them. Joey never wanting her daddy to leave her side but she had gotten sleepy not to long ago and of course it was Zac she had wanted to read to her and cover her up. It was always Zac and at least Avery knew it.

Zac nodded his head as he climbed up on the bed beside Avery, "Like a light," he told her with a forced smile. The events of the last few hours having taken a toll on him as much as it had Avery.

They had been through so much that for once they weren't arguing or disagreeing on petty things. It almost felt like they were a team.

"She has a Penicillin allergy," Avery stated with a sigh as she turned to Zac. "Your father..."

"I know what my father said about it," Zac grunted out as he looked at her, his forced smile remaining. "I heard him talking to Vickie in the hallway before they left," he said with a shake of his head. "He thinks we should get a DNA test done on our daughter just because neither of us have that damn allergy and Taylor does," he finished his voice now full of venom.

Looking away from him Avery ran a hand through her hair, "Don't you....I mean...maybe we should," she said as she shrugged her shoulders softly. 

"Why?" Zac asked as if he really didn't see a reason why. "So we can find out that Taylor is the father? So we can find out that somehow even a goddamn vasectomy couldn't stop him from impregnating someone?" he asked as the venom remained in his words. "He'll just swoop in and think he has every right to Joey when he hasn't even seen her at all. She doesn't know him. It's not him that she clings too when she's like she is today. He'd be a stranger to her and how would we explain that this strange man is...that he is who she thinks I am?"

Avery only went silent at Zac's words because she wasn't sure how to answer him.

What would they tell Joey?

"You know he'll do it if he knows the truth Avery," Zac continued again in her silence. "He'd come here wanting to play father of the year and not pretend that he missed some of the most important years of her life because he couldn't accept the fact that you...you could have been pregnant by me."

Avery looked back at him after that, "So we just don't tell him there is a possibility?" she asked her words soft. Not denying at all what Zac said because she knew it was true.

That would be exactly what Taylor would do.

"You're dad will tell him," she spoke again not even giving Zac time to answer her question. "He could demand a DNA test on his own."

Zac snorted out a bitter chuckle, "Let him," he growled as he moved a bit closer. Avery closing her eyes when Zac rested his forehead on her shoulder. "He'll have a lot to explain to a judge on why he has missed two years of her life if he plans to take it through a court," he sighed and it was after he said that Avery felt Zac physically deflate against her which caused her to fall back against the bed some.

Zac falling with her, his arm going to rest against her waist.

"I don't really want to talk about him anymore," Zac told her as he moved his head away from her shoulder now. Their eyes locking as Zac looked down at her.

"What do you want to do then?" Avery asked him her mouth suddenly feeling way too dry for her liking.

Zac chewed on his lip briefly though not once did he look away from her. The hand on her waist slowly moving up to cup her cheek.

Avery feeling a shiver run down her spine as Zac's thumb ran along her bottom lip.

"I want to make love to you," he confessed his words making her feel a rush of something that Avery didn't even know how to explain. "I've got so much stress and today...going through it with you. I just want to be inside of you right now," he told her as his words went soft.

His thumb still rubbing over her bottom lip.

"Just want to feel connected to you Avie because I'm not sure how I would have survived today without you," he sighed as he leaned in a bit closer to her. "Can I make love to you?" he asked and as she looked up at him Avery hated the way she flashbacked to a month ago when it had been Taylor asking that of her.

Hated the way she still felt the ghost of his beard on her skin or even the way it seemed her vagina missed the slight stretch of his cock as he thrust inside of her.

"No," Avery told him softly knowing it took all her willpower to say no to him because after her thoughts of Taylor she was kind of gone.

Almost needed a release of her own but it would be wrong to use Zac like that even if he'd be okay with it. Hated the way she knew if she had she'd just be picturing Taylor the whole time and almost wishing it had been him she was having sex with.

That it was him who'd be comforting her with a fuck after a long trying day where she had been so scared for her kid that the only way to feel better would be to be in someone else's arms.

But she really did refuse to use Zac like that.

"I'm sorry," Avery offered when Zac moved away from her after her answer. Though he didn't move off her bed, he just moved to lay beside her then. "It's just I can't..."

"I get it," Zac told her as he turned to look at her. "You can't touch me like that because you had your precious Taylor last month and god forbid you taint that image with me," he said almost resentful but his words surprised Avery.

Because she hadn't told him so she wasn't sure how he knew. It wasn't like Taylor was going to go and brag to him.

"How did you know?" Avery asked him hating that her words were still soft. But she guessed she was getting tired too.

"Isaac told me," Zac answered plainly. "Said Taylor ran to him scared last month that you may have gotten pregnant by him. Asked me last week if I knew if you were maybe carrying our brother's baby," he revealed with a laugh though this one wasn't bitter. "I told him I wouldn't know because I highly doubt you'd be telling me such things given we don't talk unless it has to do with Joey."

"Sounds like an Ike thing to ask," Avery laughed some almost amused at how that conversation between Isaac and Zac had went down.

As well as wanting to laugh harder at the thought of a scared Taylor running to Isaac. Avery wondering if he was more scared of the possibility that she could be pregnant by him or scared of the possibility that his fiancee would find out which would put him in a position that he had put her in.

Maybe losing someone because you had a baby by someone else.

"Are you pregnant though Avery?" Zac asked bringing Avery out of her thoughts. "Are you pregnant by Taylor?"

Avery chewed on her lip as she just looked at him for what felt like forever. "What if I was?" she finally asked him knowing it wasn't an answer to what he was asking.

"I guess he'd find out about Joey then," Zac told her with a roll of his eyes. "There'd be no way dad would keep his mouth shut about the possibility," he muttered like he hated the idea. "But you didn't answer me," he told her as he moved in close to her again. 

"Are you pregnant by my brother?"


	3. I want to get stoned off that look in your eyes that's saying never let go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story just keeps growing like a monster lol. But I am actually pretty positive now I do have an ending in sight so just two more parts to get through after this :).

_"I don't want to be with you Zac," Avery told him as she laid beside him in the bed in his apartment hours after they had gotten done fucking._

_The sex between them being a mistake because she had been hurting after what had went down with Taylor just hours ago. Taylor having reacted badly to her pregnancy and basically kicking her out of the house._

_Though she guessed if she had left so willingly she hadn't truly been kicked out._

_Zac raised an eyebrow as he turned to look at her, "I didn't know I was asking you for a commitment," he stated and his voice had an edge to it. "In fact I was just laying here taking in the fact that in a matter of months there is going to be a tiny me in the world so I don't know how you got the fact that my silence was me asking for a commitment."_

_"I didn't," Avery said as she sat up some, holding the sheets to cover her up. "I just wanted you to know that this pregnancy doesn't change things. I still don't want you," she told him rather bluntly watching as a flash of hurt crossed his face but he masked it up rather quickly. "I'm just someone you want to fix your mommy issues and someone you want to want you because she never could..just like you wanted that from Natalie and Nikki too. I can't be that person Zac," she told him rather defiantly._

_She was rather sure she'd never want Zac and maybe that made her a bitch but it was the truth._

_How could she truly want him when she still wanted Taylor and those wounds were fresh._

_"Do you want my baby?" Zac asked her a bit harshly. "Or do you plan on pulling a Nikki and aborting it?"_

_Avery let out a small sigh as she sat against the pillow to support her back, "I...I thought about an abortion at first," she admitted softly. "But I can't do it. Regardless of Taylor not being the father this is the baby I've wanted for so long and I still want it. I still want it even if it is yours."_

_"Well, at least there is that," Zac muttered as he let out a sigh. "At least you're not that much of a bitch," he told her as they locked eyes Avery knowing she had wounded him deeper than she had even thought with her earlier speech. "But you are a bitch and I'm not sure what I ever saw in you," he frowned as his gaze stayed on her. "Why I fell in love with you."_

_Swallowing hard at his last words Avery slipped out of his bed then as she went to get her clothes. "You don't love me," she told him denying what he said. "You just think you do because you thought I wanted you. That I could be the one who would actually want you and stay."_

_A look of hurt once again flashed across Zac's face but he remained silent. Avery choosing to leave his room once she had her clothes in her hand._

_Not wanting to have anymore of a conversation with him._

*****

"I don't know if I'm pregnant by him," Avery answered honestly with a heavy sigh as she turned to look at her ceiling. "I was going to get a morning after pill the morning after," she said with a slight laugh at her own confusing words. "But I didn't and I don't really know why now and I'm a few days late but I mean I've been stressed this whole month over maybe being pregnant."

Zac only groaned at her words but she didn't turn to face him. Half expected to see a look of anger or maybe disappointment on his face.

Knowing he was judging her for everything. More so, the fact that he probably now knew or realized she still loved his brother.

Even after everything Taylor had done. After everything he had said about him that Avery knew was true and would happen once the truth about Joey came out.

She still loved Taylor.

"You need to buy a pregnancy test and find out," Zac spoke and Avery was surprised at the lack of judgement in his tone.

All that was there was resignation it seemed. Zac resigned to the fact that she was out of her mind mad.

"I will eventually," Avery said as she turned to look at him again. "Right now I just want to sleep," she told him as she let her body move closer to his. "C..can you hold me?" she asked him knowing her question was loaded especially since it was being addressed to the man who mere minutes ago wanted to have sex with her.

Someone she would have said yes too had she not thought of her ex-husband.

Nodding his head Zac reached his arm out, pulling her the rest of the way into him. Avery's eyes falling shut once she could feel the heat of his body on hers. Drifting off slowly as she heard him murmur a goodnight to her.

*****

_Wiping her hands off on a dishtowel, Avery left the kitchen feeling a bit tired. Then of course she'd be tired because today had been hectic. It was Joey's first birthday and everyone had been here at her new house and all of the stuff had mainly fallen onto her shoulders._

_Except Zac had helped some, when he could. When their daughter had let him out of her sight without throwing a fit because it seemed already at one she was a daddy's girl and wrapped around his finger._

_Avery half sure Zac was just as easily wrapped around Joey's finger._

_It was almost cute but it had made her miss Taylor sometimes. A fact she hated herself for because Zac was a good parent to Joey, she just hadn't planned her life this way when she had kids. It had always been Taylor she saw and Taylor being the one wrapped around a kids finger._

_Shaking her head as she headed upstairs to Joey's nursery, Avery slowed some as she reached the door which was open. A small smile playing on her lips as she saw the sight in front of her._

_Zac was in the rocking chair holding Joey on his chest and both of them were clearly out like lights. Avery guessing in the end she hadn't been the only one drained from today._

_Backing away from the door slowly, Avery headed down to her bedroom deciding she'd just let Zac sleep there with Joey for now. She wasn't up for having him move just so he could leave her house because his moving would wake Joey up and she didn't want that._

_Well that and moments like these would only get rarer and rarer as their daughter aged. Even more so for Zac since he only got to see her on his scheduled weekends with her._

_She could allow him just a few more hours and minutes with their daughter on her birthday._

*****

Waking some time later Avery opened her eyes. A frown working its way onto her lips as she found Zac gone from beside her.

Not sure why she was frowning. It wasn't like she had hopes of him being there when she woke up but his presence these last few hours had been nice. Made her feel less alone and scared and god had she been scared during everything that had happened with Joey.

Avery wasn't sure she had felt that much fear in a long time if she were being honest with herself.

Slipping out of bed Avery left her bedroom in a hurry. Heading down to Joey's room but stopping in her tracks when she saw Joey's bed empty as well. Her frown worsening some because the house was silent so she knew there was no way Zac nor Joey were in it which felt off to her.

Avery hoping that Zac really wouldn't have just taken Joey back to his place without telling her but then again last night had, had more drama than just her allergic reaction.

There had been the fact that Joey was more than likely Taylor's. Something Avery knew he hadn't liked and he was so scared of Taylor coming back and claiming what was his even if he hadn't wanted it when he thought it wasn't his.

Avery hating the sick feeling that maybe Zac had ran off with Joey.

That thought being what compelled her to move downstairs. Again not seeing any sign of the two of them and she hated that her bad thoughts grew.

Tears starting to well up in her eyes as they landed on a picture she had on a table by the front door. It was one taken just this February on Valentine's Day at Joey's pre-school. Her and Zac on both sides of Joey as they played pretend trying to get along that day because Joey had wanted them both their for her class party.

She was half sure Joey even in her young age had seen through their pretend play. Knew that the morning of her party Avery had called Zac up to tell him off for the drunken text he had sent her where he had snapped at her because he felt like she was keeping him from Joey.

Not allowing him more time when all he wanted was more time with her like Avery got.

The tears in her eyes going down her cheek because she knew from that memory alone that Zac very well could have ran off with Joey and not told her. It wasn't like Avery had been the easiest person to co-parent with. 

Not when she hated to admit that sometimes she was as bad as he said. All because deep down she did blame him more than she blamed herself sometimes for the fact that she had lost Taylor. Which was unfair because Zac had played as much of a part as she had.

No one had any bigger parts in the mess.

Blinking back her tears Avery ran a hand through her hair as she turned to head into the kitchen where she kept the house phone to call Zac. Try to get some answers but before she could, her eyes landed on a picture she had put on the wall just a few months ago from the Fourth of July.

It was another picture of the three of them. Zac holding Joey in his arms as Avery looked at them with a smile on her face. All three of them holding sparklers as Noelle had somehow snapped a rare moment where all three of them were truly happy and Avery hadn't been pretending and neither had Zac.

The picture was enough to make the tears she had been holding back come out now finally. Not even able to stop herself as she fell to the floor and right now she wasn't even sure why she was crying.

If it was because of the fact that Zac may have taken Joey or the fact that Zac had more than likely learned he wasn't the father of a daughter who was his entire world.

Hell maybe it was even the fact that she found herself regretting that things with Zac weren't better. That they couldn't always stay friendly because she had never wanted to have times in her life where she hated the father of her daughter.

Hearing the door open sometime later, Avery not even sure how long later. It could have been minutes or hours she turned her head to see Zac coming into the house with Joey on his hip and a few plastic grocery bags in his other hand.

His footsteps stopping once he looked down and saw her on the floor.

"Avery?" he asked softly as he bent down to put Joey on the floor. Avery barely hearing him tell her to go into the living room and play with the toys she was allowed to keep in there. "Are you okay?" he asked another question as walked to where she was.

Wiping at her eyes when Zac sat down beside her Avery shook her head. "I woke up and you two were gone," she told him as her voice hitched even though she was no longer crying. "I thought you had taken her and left because of everything that happened last night."

Frowning Zac moved his arm out, putting it around her shoulder and she allowed him to comfort her. "I didn't leave with her as you can see," he told her with a small chuckle. "We just made a run to the pharmacy so I could get her new medication and I also bought a pregnancy test."

Smiling for the first time that day Avery let her head lean against his shoulder, "Is this your way of telling me you're pregnant Zachary?" she asked teasing him because she knew it was for her. "If so I'm scandalized by this news."

When Zac let out another laugh it sounded more genuine and nice to Avery's ears. "Please Avie...what type of woman do you think I am? Getting pregnant before marriage just isn't my style and if I ever do get pregnant before marriage I'd just have to marry whoever got me pregnant. I'm not sure my counselor would like that too much."

Avery shook her head as she turned to look at him. "You have a counselor?" she asked him not sure if he was lying or telling the truth about that.

"Yeah I really do," Zac nodded his head as he made a face. "I'm not sure if it's working but I...I know I have issues and I need ways to get over them. I've been seeing him for two and a half years now," he shrugged like he was almost embarrassed to admit it out loud.

"You started seeing him around the time Joey was born," Avery stated more out of curiosity as well as amazement because she hadn't even known.

Then again it wasn't like she and Zac were close and sharing secrets since it seemed they rarely got along. Last night clearly having changed something in their dynamic.

This was the longest they had been without an argument.

"I had a daughter I needed to get better for," Zac shrugged. "I mean she's kind of been my entire world since the day I found out she was coming into it."

"And now that you know she might not be yours?" Avery asked him almost dreading his answer. Dreaded what he would say to it.

"She's still my entire world Avery. Biology can't change that."

*****

_Avery chewed her lip nervously as she laid on the hospital bed with her shirt pulled up. Her eyes staying on the ultrasound screen as she watched her baby come into view._

_Immediately feeling Zac squeeze her hand slightly as they saw their baby for the first time together. Avery had a few appointments before this one but Zac had missed them because of work, setting up his own production studio but he was here now and she could only imagine what was running through his head as he saw the blob that was their baby on the screen._

_"Can you tell what it is yet?" Zac spoke up Avery detecting a hitch in his voice and when she turned her head she got it confirmed that he was crying just a bit._

_There was one stray tear going down his cheek._

_"Not right now," the nurse answered. "But the next appointment should be the one where we can find out," she went on explaining things to Zac. "I can let you hear the heartbeat though if you want?" she asked and Avery turned back to face the screen after Zac had nodded his head._

_The room seeming to fall almost deathly silent in the few seconds before the baby's heartbeat filled the room. Zac squeezing at her hand again._

_The action making her turn back to him once more and when she did she was surprised by the feeling of his lips against her own. The kiss being enough that it momentarily took her breath away and she wasn't sure where it had came from._

_Not when the last time they had any true conversation he had called her a cold hearted bitch. But now he was kissing her in the middle of her damn ultrasound like they were a couple and they were going to be some happy family with a new baby in a matter of months._

_They weren't...they really weren't._

_Feeling Zac pull away from the kiss almost as quickly as he had started it Avery just blinked several times. Hating the way that it seemed she missed the feel of his lips on hers._

_"Sorry," Zac apologized so softly that she knew his words were meant just for her. "Just that's our baby's heartbeat and we're....we made a baby Avery. We made a baby and..."_

_"And this is what you always wanted in ways," she said just as soft. "You're own family that no one can take away from you. You're getting that with this baby."_

*****

Leaving the bathroom with the pregnancy test in her hand later that night Avery headed into the living room where she found Zac sitting on her couch in a t-shirt and a pair of sweats. Clothes he had went home to get and that he had brought with him in a small duffel bag because once again Joey had asked for them both tonight and again they had gave her what she wanted.

She was their daughter after all and maybe after yesterday they were coddling her a bit more than they should have been. It wasn't breaking the rules do that, Avery was positive.

"Well?" Zac asked her as she sat down beside him on the couch. "Can you partake in this glass of wine with me?" he asked as he held up a glass of red wine that she had kept ever since her wedding day to Taylor.

Not even sure why she had. She guessed she had been waiting on the right occasion to drink it with him but nothing had ever felt right enough.

"Or do you have to abstain from alcohol for like the next eight months?"

Avery shook her head as she held the stick out to him. "I'm not pregnant," she told him showing off the negative result it held. "I can drink all the wine I want," she said as she reached for the empty glass that was sitting on her coffee table as Zac took the pregnancy test from her hand.

"Are you disappointed?" he asked her softly almost like he expected her to be disappointed that the pregnancy test had told her she wasn't having Taylor's baby.

Putting the wine glass to her lips after she had it full, Avery took a long drink of it as she shook her head. "Nope," she said popping her p. "I'm not disappointed at all actually. It was while I was waiting for the results that I realized I'm not sure if I want to be pregnant right now anyway I mean Joey's not yet three...she'll be three in October but she's still such a handful."

"She'd also be incredibly jealous," Zac said as he moved to sit the pregnancy test down on the table. "It's probably a good thing neither of us are having babies then," he teased as he patted his own belly obviously still finding her joke from earlier funny. "She gets to stay our baby for awhile longer and not share us."

Rolling her eyes Avery shook her head, "Just start the damn dvd already, enough talking," she scolded him playfully. "It's been awhile since you and I watched season three of Game of Thrones together," she told him as she mentioned the DVD they were going to watch.

Zac having suggested it because apparently he was binge watching it at home and he just wanted to continue from where he had started.

"It's been awhile because the last time we did we made love for the first time on the stairs leading up to the bedroom you shared with Taylor," Zac spoke as he visibly swallowed hard. A smirk crossing Avery's lips as she saw Zac blush as he started the DVD up.

Avery not missing the way he took a huge drink of his wine.

"Trust me Zachary," she spoke as her eyes went to the tv now. "I know all too well what happened the last time we watched this tv show together," she said as she remembered the night their affair started.

How he had taken her there on the stairs as Taylor slept in their bedroom. Unaware of the fact that his brother and his wife were starting something that would ruin his marriage. 

"I kind of liked it when you had me call you Jack though when I came," she admitted softly her smirk growing when he squirmed bedside her on the couch.

Things between them falling silent though Avery wasn't stupid. She knew there was a tension in the air that was going to be broken sooner or later before the night was done.

*****

Finishing her second glass of wine Avery leaned into Zac as the fifth episode of the third season of Game of Thrones ended. Her hand going to his thigh which made him shiver visibly.

Another smirk appearing on Avery's lips.

"How about stopping there and coming to bed with me tonight?" Avery whispered into his ear, letting her hand go higher on his thigh after she had spoken.

Zac turned his head slowly, Avery seeing nothing but a darkness in his eyes that made her shiver then too. "I thought you'd want me to sleep on the couch tonight," he spoke and she knew just from the way he did that he was having trouble getting his words out.

Her hand and the alcohol in his body making things hard for him in more ways than one.

"Obviously you know nothing Jack Snow," Avery teased him as she finally let her hand run across the crotch of his pants. "Because I want you in my bed tonight not out here on the couch," she finished as she moved her hand away from his half hard cock.

"I mean unless you want to sleep out here," she told him as she stood from the couch then, giving him a wink as she left the room and headed upstairs. 

Hearing the faint footfalls as Zac trailed behind her and Avery didn't even care that they had left a mess to clean up in the living room. She'd just wake up early enough to take the dirty wine glasses to the sink and throw the empty wine bottle away before she fixed breakfast.

Making it to her room Avery chewed on her lip once Zac shut the door behind them, the faint click of the lock being done bringing her to reality some because she wasn't stupid.

She knew why he was locking the door. So if Joey woke up she wouldn't accidentally walk in on them while her father was literally inside of her mother, thus being scarred for life. Which let Avery know that maybe Zac did know something. He knew what game she was playing now.

Knew that tonight unlike last night she wanted him. Avery not even sure what had changed in such a short time but something had.

"Do you want me?" Avery asked him as she turned to face him. Her hands going to the bottom of her sleep shirt which she slid off of herself. Leaving her in nothing but a pair of plain underwear which was a far cry from the sexy underwear she had worn with Taylor a month ago.

Her breast exposed because she had literally changed into this while she had waited on the results of her pregnancy test. Wanted to get comfortable in her pajamas and a bra was not comfortable nor suitable pajama material.

"Or is this just sex for you?" Avery questioned as she walked a bit closer to him. A blush coating her cheeks when Zac pulled her close into him when she had gotten close enough that he could.

"It's never just sex for me when you're involved Avery," Zac sighed as he leaned in, leaving a light kiss on her neck. Avery's eyes falling shut as his lips worked their way slowly up her neck.

His hand going down to her ass which he gripped lightly before smacking it softly which made her moan some.

"It's never going to be just sex for me with you," he continued once his lips reached her ear. "Is that a problem for you?" he asked her before letting his hips bump into hers and again she let out a moan.

Feeling that he had gotten harder than he was on the couch and hating how embarrassingly wet she was for him. How her cunt felt like it was literally aching and she swore she could hear her own heartbeat in her ears.

"No," Avery muttered out her words surprising her because if he had asked her last night she would have said yes. "It's not a problem for me," she told him before opening her eyes and turning her head some so that she could kiss him on the lips.

Another moan slipping out of her mouth as Zac moved into her again. Making her arousal grow even more because she knew he wanted her. He wanted her and not just sexually and at least tomorrow this wouldn't be something she'd wake up and have to feel dirty about.

Feel used as he threw angry words in her face.

Kissing him harder Avery let her arms go around his neck. Somehow not being surprised when Zac found a way to move them to the floor.

It only seemed fitting somehow that their first time together in years they wouldn't even make it to a bed but at least they had made it to a bedroom. This was much better than a set of stairs.

Feeling Zac pull away from the kiss the moment they were on the floor she just watched as he took his own shirt off before leaning back into her. His lips automatically going to her neck as he kissed it softly before trailing down it.

Avery biting on her lip as she just watched him when he made it to her chest and then down to her belly. A part of her almost wanting to suck her belly in some but she didn't. Knew that he wasn't judging her for the little bit of baby weight she had like she had feared Taylor had done when she had been half naked in front of him.

The moment Zac reached the waistband of her panties she bit her lip harder. Watching almost intently as he peeled her underwear off her. Her legs parting for him faster than she would have liked and she almost swore she saw a smirk on his face.

Just a tiny one for a fraction of a second but it had been there.

"Please," Avery whined out softly before she could stop herself even. Her words making Zac look up at her from between her legs now. His hand going out to rub at her.

"Please what Avery?" Zac questioned with an amused glint in his eyes. "What do you want."

"I want you to eat me out," Avery told him as she pushed her hips up into his hand as he continued to rub at her. "I need your mouth on me."

Zac gave her a wink as he moved his hand off her cunt. Letting it go to rest on her legs as he opened them more before going even farther between her legs. "I think that can be arranged," he told her and before she could even say anything else his mouth was on her.

Any words dying on her tongue as her eyes shut. Her head falling sideways against the floor as he began to work her with his tongue and again maybe he did know something.

He knew how to eat her out the way she liked. Knew the perfect thing to do with his tongue and her clit.

"Zac," Avery moaned out after awhile. Her eyes opening as she looked down at him. "I'm so close," she told him not sure if he wanted her to come this way or if he even wanted her to come yet.

But when he didn't stop. When he picked up the pace of his tongue, his grip on her thighs getting tighter she knew he wanted this.

He wanted her to come this way and so she did. She let herself go over that edge, her thighs closing on his head some as her back arched up a bit. Avery letting herself just ride out her orgasm on his tongue basically. 

Her body eventually going limp after she had came. Zac moving out from between her thighs though his hand went back between her legs and she just whined as he rubbed at her sensitive flesh. 

"You think you can go again?" Zac asked her before leaning down to peck at her lips briefly. "You want to come around my cock too?"

Blushing at his words Avery let her hands go to the waistband of his sweats, "I'm pretty sure my vagina can handle that," she told him before leaning up to kiss him on the lips again. Her tongue finding its way inside of his mouth as she worked his pants off him.

Her thighs once more opening again as his hand moved away from between her legs. His hips finding a way to line up with hers as his cock now rested against her entrance and there she was, her cunt throbbing for him again as if she hadn't already came once.

A moan slipping into Zac's mouth as she kissed him deeper when he slowly moved his cock down her slit. Letting it eventually slide inside of her like no time had passed between now and the last time they had fucked.

"I want you," Avery whispered out to him as he started to move inside of her. "God I fucking want you so bad," she sighed as his hands rested on her hips.

"You have me Avery," Zac told her before he kissed her again. "You have all of me right now baby," he sighed against her lips and she let her eyes fall shut at that.

Loving the way Zac was moving slow inside of her like they had all night to do this. Just lay here on the floor and make love and well she guessed they did.

There was no hurried fucking on the stairs because she had a husband who could catch them in a position they shouldn't have been in. There was no white hot rage running through her body because she had been kicked out of her marital home because of a baby growing in her belly.

The only thing to satisfy her then being just a quick, nasty fuck from the boy who she had blamed.

Now though, this was just simple, slow love making between two people who clearly wanted each others bodies and maybe more and they did have all night.


	4. Love is only what you give up

Biting her lip nervously Avery rushed into the coffeeshop where she was meeting Noelle for lunch. Running a bit late because it had taken longer than she had planned to drop Joey off at Zac's apartment.

Mainly because she and Zac had gotten a little too caught up in their fooling around in the bathroom. A place they had snuck off too while Joey had been preoccupied with watching cartoons.

The both of them deciding then was the perfect time to steal time away without their daughter noticing. 

Avery was half sure they were getting good at the hooking up secretly now because it had been going on for three weeks now.

Three weeks of having sex whenever she brought Joey to his place, which she was finding more time for that. Finally giving Zac what he wanted which was more time with Joey. 

Three weeks of having sex whenever Zac would stop by her place because he was doing that more often now too. The both of them just finding ways to be together because it seemed that night on her bedroom floor had opened a can of worms that neither wanted to close anytime soon.

Today though they hadn't been able to have any form of penetrative sex. Avery knowing she was on a time limit but she had still gotten so caught up in sucking Zac's cock that she had made herself late for this lunch date.

"You're late," Noelle said once Avery had sat down in their usual booth. "You and Zac get into an argument again?" she asked as she eyed her with a raised eyebrow. "I know you always complain that he can be a pain in the ass."

Avery who smiled some when she saw that Noelle had got her usual order only shrugged at the mention of Zac. "We didn't argue," she answered knowing she couldn't tell Noelle what really happened. "Joey was just having a hard time saying goodbye," she lied like an expert. "She's been oddly clingy to both of us since the allergic reaction."

"Ah, yes that," Noelle spoke as she lifted her cup of tea up to her lips. "We haven't actually spoken or seen each other in person since them," she said and Avery felt herself blush as she looked away from her friends gaze. "She has the same allergy as your ex-husband, you said via text."

"I did," Avery confirmed knowing where Noelle was going with this. After all Brandon was a doctor and she had probably been nosy and asked her husband questions. "You bugged Brandon didn't you?"

Noelle looked at Avery trying to fake innocence, "Maybe," she smirked softly. "Joey is more than likely Taylor's daughter, Avery," she said like she sounded relieved for Avery. "I know this is what you always wanted. A kid by Taylor and now you may have that and I have to wonder when you are going to tell him," she said as she eyed Avery.

Avery could feel it even if she had looked away from her gaze now.

"I'm not sure I was planning on telling Taylor," Avery answered honestly as her blush grew now. Her cheeks feeling hotter as she felt Noelle's gaze grow even more intense. "It's been almost three years Noelle. She'll be fucking three this weekend and where has Taylor been?" she asked as she finally looked at her friend. "He's not been there because he chose not to be. We could have made a relationship work, I had been willing to try and he refused because he couldn't love my child. Why should I tell him now? When he threw me out of his house and his life the minute he knew a baby that he thought at the time wasn't his existed."

"You should tell him because he is the father Avery," Noelle replied sounding almost bewildered at Avery's words. "He may have been crappy before now but he can do better now. Fix what he missed."

Picking up her coffee, Avery took a long drink from it just to distract herself from Noelle's words. 

"He's not her father," Avery spoke plainly finally as she locked eyes with Noelle. "Not in the ways it counts, that title belongs to Zac," she told her watching as Noelle seemed to blanch at that and Avery knew Noelle had never been Zac's biggest fan she knew it but she hated seeing it because Noelle was her best friend. "Zac's been there from day one and he's still here Noelle. He knows she probably isn't his but he's watching her right now, being her dad. Loving her when Taylor couldn't and wouldn't do it."

Noelle was now the one who looked away from Avery as she picked at the food she had ordered. "He's only still around because you and Joey fill the gap of what he lost Avery," she defended herself. "It's not the kind of love a true father would give a daughter when it's from this intense need to fill a hole left by his own mother."

"Well, that's your opinion Noelle and you're my best friend but I'm going to have to disagree with you," Avery sighed hating that it seemed for once she and Noelle were so at odds. "Anyway legally she's Zac's too. His name is on her birth certificate and if Taylor finds out and wants to fix things he can take it through the courts. He can explain to a judge why he's missed almost three years of a child's life and that's if Joey is his. She could still be Zac's in the end."

"Oh please Avery, you know the chances of the last bit are slim. Especially given the fact that Taylor's other two kids have the same damn allergy," Noelle snapped finally obviously getting fed up with Avery and showing it. "Also Joey has red hair and so does Ezra and that should have been our first clue she was really Taylor's baby. I'm just surprised you seem to be so against the idea of allowing Joey a chance to know her true father when you still love him. I mean you still love Taylor don't you?"

Avery paused when Noelle asked her if she still loved Taylor. Her eyes looking down at her own food which she had barely touched at all. The mood of this conversation having made Avery not hungry.

"I...of course I still love Taylor," she spoke after what felt like hours of silence but Avery knew it wasn't the case. "I'm always going to have love for the first man I truly fell in love with," she answered as she forced a smile.

Going back to that time when she had been eighteen and naive and foolishly fell into bed with Taylor. Not noticing his wedding band until the morning after. 

Remembering how she had foolishly agreed to be his secret for a year because she was so in lust and then by the time everything came out she had believed she was in love then so she had stuck by him as his marriage to Natalie fell apart. She had become his bride not long after at twenty and been his wife for four years.

"I was married to him for four years."

After she said that, things seemed to go silent between them for a while. Avery thankful that when Noelle spoke next it was her changing the subject off Taylor and Joey.

*****

_"There's something wrong with the baby," Avery said worriedly as she sat on the hospital bed. Noelle at her side in a chair. "I know there is," she spoke in a rush. "I'm cramping and spotting and something has to be wrong," she frowned as she felt tears well up in her eyes._

_Afraid that she was losing her baby. The baby she had wanted for so long and finally gotten and now the world it seemed was going to take that all from her._

_Maybe as karmic payback for all the times she had regretted this pregnancy since becoming pregnant. Even if she did also want it._

_Before Noelle could answer her though, Zac who she had called while on the way to the hospital came into the room. Avery feeling almost relieved at the way he automatically sat on the end of her bed._

_Not missing the way he looked as panicked as she felt. Avery feeling less alone in her worrying about their unborn baby._

_"Are you okay?" Zac asked her as he ran a hand through his hair. "I mean has the doctor..."_

_"The doctor hasn't said anything yet," Avery told him as she made a face at another cramp. "But they're running tests to make sure everything is going to be okay or if...well you know," she told him unable to say the word miscarriage._

_She didn't want to say it and give it a name. Was afraid it would make it real._

_"You're not having a miscarriage Avery," Zac reassured her sounding firm even if he looked panicked. "This baby is going to make it and it's just going to be something simple," he told her and Avery wanted to believe his words._

_She had to believe his words because not believing them was the worst she could._

_Nodding her head Avery leaned back against the bed then. Not even arguing when Zac moved to lay beside her in the bed, his arm going around her arms feeling much more comfortable than she would have liked to admit._

_Just like she hated to admit this may have been the first time in her entire pregnancy it wasn't Taylor she had wanted. It was Zac she had wanted here and now he was and everything seemed oddly at peace even if it may not have stayed that way._

*****

Cleaning up her kitchen after Joey's birthday party, Avery stayed silent even with Zac in the room with her. Everyone else had left finally and it was just them and an elephant in the room with them.

The elephant put there by both Walker and Noelle because despite today being Joey's birthday both of them wouldn't let up on the paternity issue in private.

Zac having overheard her conversation with Noelle where Noelle had once again told her Taylor needed to know and throwing her love for Taylor in her face. Avery only realizing Zac had heard because she had saw movement out of the side of her bedroom mirror by the door after Noelle had thrown in the love bit.

Then Walker had cornered them both before he left. Telling them that while he understood wanting to not upset Joey and change what she knew that Taylor had a right to know and so he'd given them an ultimatum. They had a week to tell Taylor or he'd do it himself.

"You should go ahead and tell Taylor," Zac told her as he walked to where Avery was now standing at the kitchen sink. "You love him and you deserve to have that family with him that you wanted," he sighed and his words made Avery turn her head quick as she looked at him. "God, I love Joey, Avery but I don't want to deny you that family you've wanted for years."

"You're just parroting what Noelle said," Avery told him as she glared some. "You love Joey but that doesn't mean you have to give her up because of something I wanted before," she told him with a shake of her head.

"I wouldn't do it just because of that," Zac spoke his voice almost low. "I'd do it because I care about you as well and I want you happy."

Closing her eyes at his words Avery nodded her head, "I care about you too Zac," she told him as she finished the dishes. Wiping her hands off. "I know I wasn't the best at showing it before but I do care about you and I can't take Joey from you. I can't uproot my daughter's life just because somehow Taylor got me pregnant before his vasectomy was even reversed," she frowned hating that she knew the odds of Joey being Zac's were low because of her newfound allergy. "I'm not going to do that but I will do a DNA test just to have answers," she admitted as she felt tears she didn't even know she had going down her cheek.

Zac reaching out to pull her into him and once she was close enough she let her head rest against his chest. Her eyes closing as he rubbed her back.

"Then we'll tell Taylor and do a DNA test Avie," Zac told her sounding or doing his best to sound like this was the right move. "We'll get answers and once we get them we'll go from there."

"No," Avery sighed as she kept her head buried against his chest. "We'll get answers and then we'll set boundaries with Taylor because he isn't going to come in now and try to be her father," she said defiantly. "You are and if he wants to change that then he can fight me tooth and nail for it."

Feeling Zac rub her back some after that Avery opened her eyes then. Not minding the silence that fell. Though the silence was soon broken by a little voice at the kitchen entryway.

"Is mama okay daddy?" Joey asked in all her three year old curiousness. "She's crying."

Pulling away from Zac, Avery leaned down as she motioned for Joey to come closer and when she did Avery picked her up. "Mommy's fine," she reassured as she stood up once she had Joey firmly in her grasp. "She just had to make a very big decision. You know those good or bad kinds?" she asked because both she and Zac had been working with her on decision making.

Trying to make good ones and not bad ones because bad ones usually got her in trouble.

"Was it a bad decision though mommy?" Joey asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"I hope not," Avery told her as she leaned in to kiss her cheek softly. 

Her words to Joey being true. She hoped what she had just decided wasn't a bad decision. That somehow everything didn't fall apart because now she had to think of Joey in this too and what was best for Joey.

It had stopped being what was best for Avery the moment Joey had been born. So really screw what Noelle had said today and how she had try to make Avery a selfish mother.

"Can I go to daddy now?" Joey asked after several minutes her request making Avery laugh. But she handed her over to Zac who peppered her cheek with kisses the minute he had her.

Making Joey giggle loudly and the sight was one that made Avery feel something warm and fuzzy in her chest. As well as a weird flutter in her heart.

"You love your daddy don't you?" Avery asked as she leaned just a bit close to Joey. Her brown eyes locking with her daughters brown ones.

Joey grinned as she looked back at her, her head nodding enthusiastically. "I love daddy to the moon and back," she spoke proudly. "He's the only one who knows how to fix my eggs in the morning," she revealed and her words made both Zac and Avery laugh.

"See, she only loves me for my stellar cooking skills," Zac teased as he nudged Avery's hip. "The only thing I know how to cook are eggs anyway."

Shaking her head Avery rolled her eyes at Zac's words.

"Do you love daddy too mommy?" Joey asked her words coming as an unexpected surprise to Avery.

Pausing at Joey's words Avery caught Zac's eye. Watching as he raised an eyebrow at her curiously like he was interested in her answer as well.

Smiling Avery pursed her lips, "Yeah," she answered with a small nod. "I do love your daddy," she admitted hating the way she felt nervous at that admission.

She wasn't sure how that admission would change things now between her and Zac. It was words he had been wanting from her for years and she knew that.

Words she had denied him for years too because of petty regrets and wrongly blaming him for how things had played out between her and Taylor.

*****

"So do you love me because I know how to make your eggs the right way in the morning too?" Zac asked Avery as they laid in bed later that night. Both of them just cuddled up together in her bed not doing anything really, though Avery had teased him some earlier by rubbing his cock through the boxers he was wearing.

Knew he was still hard and wanted her.

Laughing Avery shook her head as she left a soft kiss on Zac's chest. Just above one of his nipples which earned her a moan from him.

"You've never made me eggs in the morning asshole," she muttered playfully as she moved some so that she was on top of him. Straddling his hips as she looked down at him. "I think I love you for entirely other reasons than eggs."

"So it's because I'm the only one giving you orgasms right now?" Zac asked with a smirk as he let his hand go up to brush some hair off her shoulder. The way his fingertips lingered on her skin making her shiver at the touch. "You're only using me for the orgasms I give you."

Avery rolled her eyes at his words. "I'm not using you," she sighed as she leaned down to kiss him on the lips softly. A moan coming out of her mouth when Zac's hand slipped under the shirt that she had on. "I'm not that mean," she told him before reaching down to lift her shirt off. 

Another moaning coming out of her mouth when Zac's hands quickly made their way to her breasts. Her head falling back as he tweaked her nipples some. Just enough that it got her going and then he pulled his hand away.

Avery watching as Zac sat up then. His arms going around her waist now as he held her in his lap. 

"I'd be okay if you did use me," Zac spoke softly before kissing her neck. His teeth coming out to nip at her skin some. "I just want you Avery. I've always wanted you and I'll take you however I can get you," he said and his words broke her heart some. "I've never stopped loving you," he said on her skin.

His breath hitting it and making her shiver. Her hands going to his boxers and both of them lifted up so that she could take them off him. Her hands wrapping around his cock and stroking him once he was completely naked.

Avery loving the feeling of his cock getting harder in her hands.

"And I don't just love you because of my past issues," he continued as he let his lips move up to her ear. "I've loved you before you even got pregnant with my baby," he muttered as he nipped at her earlobe. "It stopped being just because I wanted to be wanted for awhile before you threw that in my face," he told her and he didn't sound bitter about what she had done years ago.

Resigned but not bitter like he had truly moved past it but he still wanted her to know how he felt.

"I wanted you back then and still want you now because I'm so fucking in love with you Avery," Zac finished and Avery bit down on her lip when Zac slipped his hand inside of her panties.

Rubbing her like she was stroking his cock. In slow deliberate motions because he was just teasing her. He didn't want to get her off like this.

"How long?" Avery asked through a moan as one of his fingers slowly slipped inside of her wetness. Working her like she wanted his cock to. "How long have you loved me for?" she questioned wanting to know how long he had loved her.

Just when their affair all those years ago had turned into love for him.

"That trip to California," Zac revealed as he finally moved his hand away from her. A small whine escaping her but dying out when he removed her panties. 

Avery letting her hand fall away from his cock as she moved to get lined up with him. A groan coming out when she slid down on him.

A satisfied smirk on her face when Zac moaned out as she began to ride his cock slowly.

"Why then? What was so special about that trip?"

Zac laughed softly at her words as his hold on her waist got tighter. His hips beginning to move up with her every so often. Not much because it seemed he liked her doing all the work right now. He enjoyed the way she was riding his cock.

"Because my life literally fell apart that weekend," Zac spoke and Avery knew what he had meant. "Someone leaked to the press that I did porn and Nikki's team were tearing me into shreds in the media because they were still pissed at all I got in the divorce settlement and you were there," he continued through moans and Avery was shocked he could still form words but Zac was a stubborn asshole. "You were there and god the night after everything when I...fuck I wanted to just give up. Find a way to end it all but you were there and a persistent little shit. Refused to let me give up and you took me...you literally fucking took me," he smirked and Avery knew he was remembering that night. "We made love all night..all fucking night and by the end of it I swore I could see you as my wife and the mother of my child. I saw a future with you when I'd never even saw one with the woman I had just divorced."

All Avery could after that was lean in and kiss Zac on the lips then. Her movements on him picking up only slightly. Not even telling him that was the night she had been so sure she had gotten pregnant with Joey. 

That she had thought their all night lovemaking in California had been when their daughter had been conceived.

Though she guessed if Taylor was the father she was wrong on that. She had gotten pregnant the night before that trip. When Taylor had fucked her against the kitchen sink. A fucking that had happened because he was angry that she was taking off with Zac to California to help him pack up the remainder of his stuff, so that he could get it all shipped to Nashville and he could have the rest of what he owned.

It was a less than stellar way to make a baby if that had been the time she got pregnant.

*****

_"Are you listening to yourself right now Avery?" Noelle asked as they sat on the back porch of her and Taylor's house. "You're actually talking about leaving Taylor and running off with his brother to California?" she questioned with disdain in her voice._

_Blushing Avery looked away from Noelle's gaze. "But I think I love him Noelle," she confessed with a small smile. Remembering their trip to California. One they had came back from four days ago._

_It was during that trip that Zac had full on asked Avery to give everything up and move out there with her. To be his life partner because he wasn't sure he believed in marriage anymore but he wanted Avery for life._

_"He loves me too," she told Noelle because while the words had never been said she was sure he did love her._

_Why else would he want to spend his life with her? Why else would he want to say fuck it and be with her publicly knowing what could happen when and if Taylor found out?_

_"He doesn't love you," Noelle told her as she shook her head. "You've said it yourself before he just wants to have you because he needs someone to fill that hole in his life his mother left. Just like you aren't in love with him, you're just angry at Taylor right now because he was the one who leaked to the press what Zac did for a living because he was still angry that you were gone with his brother which lets both be honest here Avery he had every right to be...if he knew what you were doing with Zac. That you are acting like some slut with his brother whenever you can."_

_Avery felt her cheeks get hotter at Noelle's words. Not sure if she could argue with some of them._

_"Trust me Avie. You'd be better off just telling Taylor the truth before you ruin your life for a man whose life is already ruined."_

_"And if I don't want to do that?" Avery asked with a sigh because she may not have wanted to end things with Zac. Not when she felt she loved him._

_Then again maybe Noelle was right. Maybe she just believed she loved Zac because of her anger with what Taylor had done. Avery not expecting that he could have done Zac like that no matter how angry he was about Avery going to California but he had done it._

_"Then I may have to tell him because I'm your best friend and I refuse to let you ruin your life when you're just thinking with your vagina."_

*****

Smiling Avery watched as Zac and Joey sat at the coffee table in the living room coloring in some Disney Princess coloring book. A gift that Vickie had given Joey yesterday at her birthday party.

It was a sight she liked seeing and again it was one that did funny things to her. Seeing how Zac was with their daughter in person now.

It brought up a lot of regrets of how much she had truly denied him as well as Joey. Avery knowing now how painfully obvious it was that Joey loved getting more time with her father. 

She always seemed to light up more nowadays when Zac showed up unexpectedly or just happened to still be at their house the next morning.

The three of them working out how to become a family unit in just weeks. Something they should have done when Joey was a baby or even before that when Avery had been pregnant.

Coming out of her thoughts when she heard a frantic knocking on her door, Avery moved from where she had been standing in the living room entryway. Not sure who'd be here because they weren't expecting guests today.

Opening the door when she reached it, Avery felt her world had frozen when she came face to face with a very irate looking Taylor. Already hating the intensity of his glare on her.

Avery swallowing hard when she finally felt like her world become unfrozen. Though she didn't say anything she just stepped out on the porch, shutting the door behind them because she had a feeling what this visit was about and she really didn't want Joey to hear things.

To know something was up and that her entire world could change. That the center of her world may not be who she thought he was.

"What are you doing here?" Avery asked finally though her words were less than a question and more of a statement. She knew what Taylor was doing here.

Taylor snorted out bitterly as he stepped closer to her, "I'm here to ask you why the hell you didn't tell me Joey is mine and why I had to hear it from Noelle first in a concerned phone call and then get it confirmed by my father."

Avery felt like she had been punched by Taylor's words. Not the bit about him knowing about Joey because she had been sure that was why he was here. It was the bit about Noelle telling him that hurt. An anger surging through Avery because Noelle had ruined everything she and Zac had planned to do.

Even if she thought she had only been acting in Avery's best interest or even Joey's. She had no right especially not when Avery was sure Noelle's life could be ruined by some of the secrets Avery knew on her. Secrets she had kept because she thought Noelle was her best friend and best friends always looked out for each other. At least that was what Noelle always claimed when she meddled in Avery's life.

*****

_Standing in the elevator with Zac's sketchbook in her hands Avery looked down at the picture he had drawn of her months ago when their affair started. A sketchbook Taylor had thrown at her in an argument about her affair with Zac. One that Noelle had told him about but it seemed she had been late because Taylor had known from the very first week it started._

_Having found the sketchbook and keeping it to himself. Taylor deciding to stay in blissful ignorance over what had been happening under his nose because he loved her and hadn't wanted to lose her. Scared that if he confronted her back then he would have lost her._

_Only deciding to finally do it after Noelle told him he was already close to losing her. Avery knowing then and there she had to try to save her marriage. Hoped that maybe Noelle was right and maybe she had been thinking with her vagina when she had been thinking of actually running off with Zac._

_It was why she was here now, to end things with Zac so that she could be the woman Taylor had married and love him fully like he deserved._

_When the elevator doors opened Avery stepped off, heading down to Zac's apartment and using the key she had to let herself in because she was sure Zac wouldn't mind. He had given her the key for moments like this. So that she could come by whenever she wanted._

_But of course he hadn't had it in mind that she'd be using the key to end things with him._

_"Zac?" she called out with a raised eyebrow not seeing him in sight. "Are you home?" she asked again as she slowly walked down the hallway towards his bedroom. Making a face when she heard noises coming from the bedroom._

_"Zac?" she asked again once she reached the bedroom and opened the door with her free hand. Pausing at the sight in front of her._

_Zac and Noelle on the bed. Both of them turning to face her with different looks of shock on their face. Though Noelle while shocked didn't look ashamed at all to be found riding Zac's cock by her best friend._

_Her best friend who she knew had confessed to being in love with him. Avery having thought Zac loved her too but she guessed if he could willingly have sex with Noelle maybe he didn't love her._

_Turning on her heel as she dropped the sketchbook Avery went back down the hallway to leave the apartment but before she could get out the door she heard Zac calling her name which made her stop and she turned to face him at least happy that he had clothes on now even if it was just boxers._

_"Don't even give me an excuse Zac," Avery told him. "You can do whatever you want anyway so I don't need an excuse," she continued before he could get a word in. "I wasn't here to give you good news anyway so I guess it's good I saw you having sex with Noelle. Taylor knows about us and I was here to end things because I love my husband Zachary. I love my husband and I can't keep having an affair with someone who just wants me to fulfill their mommy issues," she snapped knowing she was talking like someone who was hurt and angry._

_Noelle coming out of the bedroom after Avery spoke and again she didn't look ashamed at all by anything._

_"I told you he didn't love you," Noelle spoke as she walked down the hall and soon walking past Avery. "If he loved you he wouldn't have caved when I threw myself at him."_

_Biting her lip Avery didn't even turn to watch Noelle leave. She kept her gaze on Zac who seemed to have deflated before Noelle even came out of his room._

_"I wasn't going to give you an excuse," Zac finally told her after Noelle left. "I don't have one for what happened. I was...Taylor sent me a text message this morning of him and you last night. He said it was an accident but I'm not really sure it was now and Noelle came by and I had a weak moment," he explained and Avery wanted to believe him but she wasn't sure she believed a word out of his mouth anymore._

_"Yeah well, your weak moment doesn't matter does it," Avery told him as she shook her head. "Because whatever we have is over. It was over before I even caught you with Noelle. Like I said Taylor knows and I chose him when he made me chose last night," she sighed hating the way it felt like her heart was breaking. "I'm going to make my marriage work because I love my husband and he makes me happy," she told him before turning on her heel and leaving again before Zac could say more._

_Avery hating the tiny hope she had that Zac would try to stop her. Tell her that he did love her and just fight for her but he didn't. He let Avery walk out and that seemed to prove to Avery more than the sex with Noelle that he didn't love her._

_If he loved her he wouldn't have let her walk away like that._

*****

"Goddamnit Avery," Taylor growled as he brought Avery out of her thoughts. "Will you please answer me and tell me why you didn't tell me?"

Avery moved to turn away from Taylor but before she could get all the way turned around, she felt Taylor gripping her wrist hard. Keeping her from looking away from him.

"I was going to tell you tomorrow," Avery sighed as she pulled her hand from Taylor's grip. Turning back to fully face him again. "Zac and I talked about it yesterday and I was going to tell you. I didn't know how to do it before now and I wasn't even sure if I should..."

"So you were also considering keeping it from me?' Taylor asked her sounding like he couldn't believe she'd done that. "You would have kept my child from me?"

"I thought about it yes," Avery nodded with a sigh. "Because up until today she wasn't your child Taylor..she wasn't even your niece because you refused to be around her. I mean didn't you say almost two months ago just looking at her you'd see me in Zac's arms?" she asked him with an arched eyebrow.

Watching as some of his anger went down at that because he knew she had him there.

"But I chose to tell you and I was going too. I guess I was just beaten to the punch by a day..." she said stopping when she heard her front door open and watched as Zac stepped out on the porch.

Her gaze landing on him and she didn't miss the glare on his face. The way his nose flared at Taylor's presence.

"What are you doing here?" Taylor sneered obviously not liking it that he was in Zac's presence either.

"Well it's lovely to see you too Taylor," Zac retorted as he walked a bit closer to Avery. Avery almost surprised when he put a hand on her back and she wasn't sure if he had done it in a show to Taylor or because he really felt like doing it. "But if you really want to know I was here to see my daughter who would love it if her mommy could come back inside and have dinner with us," he spoke and Avery caught the way he emphasized the my daughter.

How possessive Zac seemed over his family.

"I think the better question is why are you here and are you almost done with whatever business you have because it's late and my daughter..."

"She's not yours," Taylor spat out and Avery felt Zac's grip on her back tighten some. "I know the truth Zachary. She's mine and I came to talk to Avery about what we're going to do about that. This conversation doesn't involve you so it'd be nice if you left and went back inside."

Zac took a deep breath but he didn't move to leave. "No," he said as he shook his head. "I'm not going inside when this conversation involves me too. She's very much likely yours biologically Taylor. I've accepted that fact but she's mine legally still. Any court of law would say so since my name's been on her birth certificate since she was born, at least until a DNA test happened which is what is going to happen if you want to play father to my daughter. You're going to get that trusty lawyer you had that almost took Avery for all she was worth in your divorce and you're going petition the courts for a DNA test. If you get it then you can come around here spouting all the bullshit you want but right now you're not."

"If that's how you want to play then I guess we will," Taylor retorted as he crossed his arms over his chest. "When it comes back she is mine don't be surprised if I ask a judge that she not be around you for her best interest. I mean the life you've lived doing porn and now producing it...there's no telling what kind of lifestyle you're putting mine and Avery..."

"I wouldn't finish that thought if I were you Taylor," Zac told him and while he voice was calm his grip on Avery's back once again tightened even more. "Not if you know what's best for you."

"And you're violent," Taylor muttered out though he did what Zac said. He didn't finish his thought which Avery was relieved about. "Joey's lucky she's mine in the end," he told Zac and after he said that he turned his gaze on Avery. "She's mine Avery, not his and when that truth comes out I expect us to be on the same page with raising her," he said but Avery knew the way he said it he was warning her.

Telling her that if he said Zac wasn't allowed around Joey then she'd stand by him on that. 

"Hell, maybe we'll even do like Natalie and I did with Ezra and rekindle our romance," Taylor added on with a smile as he locked eyes with Avery. "I ended things with Trinity a week after we slept together," he told her and Avery knew he only added in the last bit as a way to get at Zac.

Even if he didn't know that Zac and Avery were sleeping together again he suspected something on Zac's part at least.

"I've always wanted this..a family with you Avie," Taylor continued in Avery's silence. "I was a fool for letting all that go."

Zac laughed lightly at that, "Well, that's one thing we can both agree on," he told him as he removed his hand from Avery's back. "You were a fool for letting her go when you knew she was having my baby. She would have stayed with you but you just let her go and maybe it's too late to get her back now," he shrugged not even showing any emotions on his face. "For all you know someone else already has her heart."

"I highly doubt that," Taylor said as he moved to leave her porch. "No one else can compare to me. At least according to her words when we last slept together I'm the best she's had in bed and Avery would never settle down with someone who didn't know how to fuck her like she wants."

Swallowing hard at Taylor's words, Avery felt a blush coat her cheeks and she had to look away from Zac after that. Almost thankful when Taylor finally left because it seemed he had left a storm in his wake.

"I'm sorry," Avery apologized when she finally looked at Zac.

Zac shook his head not even looking at Avery which made her frown. "It's not your fault you love an asshole," he told her sounding a bit bitter at that. "Let's just go inside and fix dinner. I think the movie I put on for Joey to watch as she ate a snack is probably almost done at this point," he said before turning his back on her and heading inside her house.

Avery's frown deepening as she followed behind him. 

"I think it's probably best if I go home tonight too," he told her before they went to the living room to check on Joey. "My dog's probably missing me."

"If that's what you want to do," Avery said not knowing why she felt an ache in her chest at Zac leaving when he had planned to stay one more day. Going back home Monday because they both planned to fall back into their weekly routines of saving their hookups during the week for when she dropped Joey off at his place when she had to run errands or even when she went to work at the art center she did part time hours at.


	5. Leave him for me before one of us has accidental babies

_Laying beside Zac as she caught her breath Avery could only smile as Zac's arm slipped around her waist. His breathing about as uneven as her own was right now._

_"How are you feeling?" he spoke softly before leaning in to kiss at her neck. The feeling making her eyes flutter shut._

_"I'm exhausted and I think everything in me hurts right now," Avery laughed as she opened her eyes. "But I don't think I've orgasmed that many times in one day," she told him watching as a huge grin spread over his face at that information._

_Avery knowing she had probably stroked his ego in all the right ways._

_"I wish we could stay like this forever," Zac said finally and well at least he wasn't talking with his ego now like Taylor would have been. "Just you and I here in this bed in California," he sighed and his grin went away slowly. An almost sad look on his face. "Would...could you ever think about running away with me Avery?"_

_"Running away with you?" Avery asked as she arched her eyebrow watching as Zac nodded._

_"You and I living out here in California together as a couple," Zac told her as a sad smile graced his lips. "We could be together for life without marriage. I'm just not sure I like the idea of it right now but god I'd love to spend my life with you, here in this beach house raising babies and a dog."_

_Laughing Avery leaned into kiss Zac on the lips, "You have this life all planned out don't you?" she asked him with a raised eyebrow. Hating the way there was an ache in her chest because maybe she wanted it too._

_Maybe she wanted the world to know how much she was sure she loved the man beside her. How much she'd love to spend the rest of her days with him._

_That she could even see herself having his babies even if a part of her swore she still wanted Taylor's babies too...maybe._

_"Maybe," Zac smiled before kissing her back. "But would you do it?" he asked sounding curious now._

_"I would," Avery told him feeling the way her heart seemed to flutter a bit at the thought of that life with him. "But Taylor would kill us both before we even got to California," she added on knowing if they did what Zac wanted it would break Taylor's heart or make him angry enough to commit murder._

*****

"Mommy," Joey frowned as Avery turned to leave her room at bedtime, not even having gotten the light turned off.

Turning to face her daughter, Avery raised an eyebrow, "Yeah sweetie?" 

"I miss daddy," Joey spoke as her frown worsened and Avery was afraid her daughter was close to tears. "Can you sleep in my bed with me tonight?" she asked her bottom lip stuck out and quivered some and yeah Joey was really close to tears.

Avery nodded her head as she turned the light off. Thankful for the night light in her daughters room as she made the way to the twin bed that Joey had.

"I can do that," she told her as she got on the bed. Snuggling into Joey some and inhaling the scent of her shampoo and that distinctly toddler smell that kids had. "I miss your daddy too sweet Josephine," she sighed because it had been two weeks since Taylor had shown up at her house and in those two weeks Zac had been distant with her.

Avery knowing it was something Taylor had said or done, she just knew it in her gut but she couldn't quite place her finger on which comment it had been.

But in the end it didn't matter really. All that mattered was that she missed Zac's presence in her house just like she missed going to his apartment every so often. But he'd found ways to stop that too some. 

At least when he knew it wasn't really her wanting him to watch Joey and more her just wanting to see him for sex. But fuck she missed the sex and she missed the simple closeness of him period.

"Is he mad at us?" Joey asked as she curled into Avery. Avery closing her eyes as she frowned at Joey's words.

"No he isn't sweetie," Avery told her knowing it wasn't them he was mad at. It was most likely Taylor who had indeed done what Zac asked of him.

He had went to his lawyer that Monday and now she had been petitioned for a court hearing coming up in a matter of weeks. Sometime after the Thanksgiving holiday and right before Christmas. Avery knowing the first court hearing probably wouldn't deal with much except maybe sitting up the DNA test.

Something she knew was going to get wrung out longer with the holidays and this year there would be a damper on them because how could she enjoy them when she knew after her daughter's life may be changed?

That somehow she'd have to explain to Joey that her daddy wasn't really her daddy. The thought killed her because to Avery, Zac was her father in all the ways that counted.

"He's just busy with work," Avery lied as she swallowed a lump. Glad that it was dark because Joey couldn't see the tears coming out of her closed eyes. "I'm sure things will get better soon and he can see us more then."

*****

_"You recorded us," Avery spoke as she crossed her arms and stood in front of Taylor in the kitchen after dinner. Deciding now was as good a time as any to confront him on what Zac had told her today. "You recorded us having sex last night and you sent it to Zac?"_

_Taylor blushed as he looked away from her bashfully, "It was an accident," he told her as his voice went high in the way it always did when he was guilty and knew it._

_"Oh that's bullshit," Avery told him calling him out on it and she swore his blush got worse. "You meant to do it so you did," she sighed watching as he looked back up at her. "You didn't even tell me you were recording us," she added on feeling a bit violated by that._

_That Taylor could just record their sex and not tell her. If she had known there was a video running she would have ended things on the spot because she wasn't sure how she felt about being naked on film._

_She wasn't Zac and she wasn't looking for a career in porn even of the homemade kind...though she had thought of being photographed naked by her husband before but videos were different stories._

_"I'm sorry," Taylor sighed as he looked up at her sounding more exasperated than sorry. "I just wanted to show Zac you were mine," he confessed and yeah it had been no accident which was why he was guilty now._

_She knew and he hadn't wanted her too._

_"I think my choosing you instead of him would have been showing him enough," Avery spoke as she shook her head finally uncrossing her arms. "You can be such a goddamn bastard sometimes Tay," she told him before leaving the kitchen and leaving him standing in it._

_Not sure what else to say to him right now or even if she wanted to see his face. Because seeing his face would piss her off more._

*****

Sitting out on the back porch of Walker and Vickie's house Avery sighed as chewed on her lip. Almost regretting coming here for Thanksgiving but it was something they had done every year. Something she hadn't wanted to change just because this year had a lot of drama behind it.

It wasn't like she had to worry about Taylor being here. He never came to Walker's house during the night time celebrations because he knew Zac would come to those while Zac avoided the morning ones because he knew Taylor would be there and that had been the tradition every year.

Except this year Taylor had shown up tonight and she knew she should have worried. As well as knowing Taylor only came to get to Zac which he had.

Zac who had already been closed off was more so now and so Avery had came outside for a bit to get away from the tension as well as to get away from Zac because the distance between them still was killing her slowly she was sure. Because two more weeks had passed and she still hadn't truly been with Zac like she wanted.

Like she needed.

That and the smell of all the foods was getting to her. Making her stomach turn and she was half sure she was getting that stomach bug Joey had gotten from pre-school last week.

Half sure because the other truth wasn't one she wanted to face yet. Not yet.

She wanted the denial a bit longer.

Hearing the back door open, Avery turned her head chewing on her lip when she saw Zac come outside. Not missing the way he paused at the sight of her.

"I was looking for you," Zac told her as he walked to where she was sitting. Soon bending down to her level. "Are you okay?"

Scoffing Avery shook her head, "I could ask you the same thing," she told him before reaching out to push a stray piece of hair off his forehead. One that had escaped his bun. "I miss you Zac."

"I'm right here," Zac frowned his eyes looking as sad as she felt for the past few weeks now. 

"You're here but you're not here," Avery told him as she leaned in close enough that her forehead was resting against his. "Physically but mentally you've checked out," she told him softly. "I miss you and so does Joey. Can you please come home with us tonight?" she asked him not moving away from him.

Not caring that if anyone came out here they'd see them in this moment and know that somehow, someway their relationship had changed in weeks. That they no longer were tolerating each other for the sake of their daughter.

"I shouldn't," Zac told her and Avery saw hesitancy in his eyes. "But I miss you too," he smiled sadly and before he could say more Avery closed the tiny gap between them and kissed him softly on the lips.

Smiling a bit against his lips when he rested his hand on her cheek.

Both of them pulling away when they heard someone clear their throat and Avery blushed at the sight of Zac's step-mother standing there just giving them both a knowing glance.

Like somehow she had known this would happen and maybe she did. Vickie was good at sorting out the truth sometimes.

"I just thought you two should know your daughter is looking for you," she told them not an ounce of judgement in her voice. "I'm sure I can find a way to occupy her though until you guys collect yourselves and come in."

Biting her lip as she watched Vickie walk back inside, Avery couldn't help but let out a laugh after that. Listening as Zac laughed some too and Avery shook her head because it seemed she and Zac had finally been found out by someone.

Standing up from the chair Avery held out her hand for Zac and once he had taken it she helped him to stand. Smiling again when Zac pulled her into him, kissing her again.

Longer than before like this kiss held a promise to it.

When Zac pulled away, Avery looked at him a eyebrow raised.

"I'll come to your house tonight," he finally agreed with a slight nod. "Because I miss you and my daughter as well."

Avery felt that weird flutter in her chest again but she remained silent. Watching Zac head inside and she followed behind him. Both of them coming to a stop when they reached the living room and Avery had that sick feeling in her stomach again.

Though it wasn't because of what she was sure was causing it usually. This was because of the sight of Taylor sitting by Joey on the couch, reading a book to her.

Taylor looking up at her and Zac when he caught their gaze and a shiver ran down Avery's spine as he winked at them. Showing that he was indeed playing some sort of game with them right now.

*****

"Are you going to tell me why you've been distant?" Avery asked as she laid in bed with Zac after Zac had came back from getting Joey in bed. "Because I know it had to be something Taylor said or did. It's always something he said or does."

Zac let out a laugh though it didn't sound genuine. "It was," he confirmed as he let his hand go to rest on her thigh just under her night shirt. Avery biting her lip when she felt him playing with the side of her panties. "I don't care about...that I'm not the best lover you had," he sighed like he was ashamed of whatever had made him distant. "But I'm not going to lie that kind of bruised my ego and I'm scared the next time we have sex you're going to be thinking of my brother. That every time we've had sex you have been thinking of my brother."

"If it was your brother I wanted Zachary, he'd be here in this bed right now," Avery told him as she reached for his hand under her night shirt. Putting his hand inside of her panties to let him feel how wet she was already. "And when you're inside of me there is no one else on my mind but you," she revealed as she locked eyes with him.

Though her eyes didn't stay on him long. They fell shut when Zac started to rub at her softly, getting her wetter than she already was and she wasn't sure what was wrong with her tonight.

How she felt like she was was on edge sexually. Her hormones being heightened it seemed.

"Fuck Zac," she hissed out as she opened her eyes again. Looking at him and she was sure if she could see her eyes right now she'd see something akin to hunger in them. "Fuck me. Please just fucking fuck me right now," she told him with a whine to her voice.

"Someone's needy tonight," Zac commented but he leaned in to kiss her anyway. His hand slipping out of her panties. 

Avery kissing him back as she leaned up to help him with her panties as he pushed them off her. Her legs eagerly parting for him once his own boxers were off him and as he slipped inside of her she wasn't sure she minded that they hadn't really built up to anything tonight.

It wasn't like they needed too because obviously after so long they had both been ready. Both been wanting this.

Pulling away from the kiss Avery just looked up at Zac as he moved inside of her roughly. His fingers holding onto her thighs and she knew tomorrow she'd have bruises. Tiny reminders of what they had done.

Not that she minded because she'd take anything to remind her of the fact that she'd been with Zac again finally after a dry spell.

As well as hoping they didn't go this long without sex again. That thought alone making Avery shiver because she knew what it meant. She wanted a regular sex life with Zac. She wanted this thing whatever they had to stay permanent. 

She wanted Zac as a permanent fixture in her life for the time being. 

When her orgasm finally hit, Avery's head fell back some against the bed her eyes falling shut then as a satisfied smile crossed her face. Knowing it didn't matter who she found better in bed. She wasn't shallow like her ex-husband had implied she was.

Good sex was good yeah but it wasn't everything the world had to offer and Zac wasn't the worst lover either. If she truly kept rank he'd be awfully damn close to Taylor in how good he was in bed.

He gave her the most real orgasms anyway whereas with Taylor she had faked a lot more than she ever needed too with Zac.

As Zac finally moved to lay beside her Avery turned her head to look at him. Loving that he looked as much of a wreck as she did.

"I want to date you," she muttered out before she could even stop herself and once she realized the words she said her cheeks turned hotter than what they had already been from the sex.

Zac turning his head to look at her curiously. "You want to date me?" he asked with a crooked smile. "Like one date to a dinner and movie then sex afterwards or a lot of dates and a lot of sex afterwards?"

Laughing Avery turned so that she could bury her head in a pillow briefly as she composed herself.

"A lot of dates," she said as she lifted her head out of the pillow. "I want to go on a lot of dates with you," she revealed with a small smile. "We can be one of those awful couples that show affection in public too," she spoke watching as Zac's smile grew at her words.

"Yeah, I think I like the sound of that," Zac spoke as he leaned over to peck at her lips. "You and me going on dates in public. Me getting to hold your hand or kiss you like some horny teenager," he spoke as he kept his lips against hers. "I can get used to being your boyfriend already," he told her and Avery kissed him again then.

Longer than a peck because god hearing him call himself her boyfriend did something too her. As did the images of them actually being together in public because it wasn't something they had gotten to do before. 

After all affair couples especially when one half was married to someone famous and the other half was divorcing someone famous were limited to where they could be seen together. Were limited to what they could do in public but now she was single, she had no husband to worry about and Zac was no longer going through a divorce.

They could maybe finally have what Zac had wanted so desperately in California all those years ago. They could be together and raise Joey and his dog as a unit. A family.

Pulling away from the kiss Avery looked at Zac, curiously. "Do you still have that house in California?" she asked him watching as he once again looked at her like he didn't get what she was saying.

"Yes, but I mean if you want our first date to be there I was thinking of something more local," he spoke with an amused smile.

"No, I don't want our first date to be there," Avery laughed with a shake of her head. "I was just thinking of something," she shrugged not wanting to tell him she had been thinking of that future he had mentioned three years ago.

How she would have done it then and she'd do it now too. She'd pack up Joey and he could pack up his dog and they could head off to California.

Though she knew now wasn't the time to do that. Not when they were navigating hurricane Taylor. Hurricane Taylor who had also been the reason why they hadn't gotten to do it last time either.

Avery having the nagging though that once the court stuff ended, everything they mentioned tonight could fall apart if what had happened on her porch weeks ago was any indication of how Taylor would be.

He'd be relentlessly inserting himself into her life until he won her and Joey over. Finding a way to erase Zac from the picture completely. Avery realizing then that had to have been what he did all those years ago with Natalie and Ezra.

Taylor had inserted himself until he got what he wanted. Until he got what he thought was his.

*****

_Avery looked over at Kate with a smile as they both sat outside of Vickie and Walker's house. It was a nice day even for it being late in February._

_Though Avery found she was missing last month in California even if just because of the weather. She wasn't missing the time she had spent with Zac. She had never loved him and he had never loved her and those words they had said, they had just been empty promises._

_There was no love or no proof of that love even existing._

_"So you and Taylor are doing well?" Kate asked as she took a sip of her decaf coffee and of course she'd ask that because of course news had traveled fast about her affair with Zac._

_It had too because how could it have stayed a secret? Everyone would wonder why there was now an even bigger divide between Taylor and Zac and so they had told his parents who had told Isaac and Kate._

_After all Isaac and Kate were newly moved to Nashville, Kate newly pregnant with their first child and they deserved to know the family's drama._

_"We're doing as well as can be expected," Avery smiled with a shrug. "I think our sex life has gotten better," she said with a slight blush but her words were also true._

_She and Taylor had been doing it almost all the time. Like they were newly in love with each other and maybe the affair had somehow brought them closer. Avery half positive that Noelle had been right she had just been thinking with her vagina._

_Kate only laughed at that, "I have heard sometimes affairs do tend to help married couples," she said with a knowing smirk. "I've always teased Isaac that one of us should do it just to make our already great sex life perfect," she admitted and Avery blushed again._

_Almost finding it odd how it ease she could talk to Kate about this affair she had. She didn't feel like Kate judged her for what she had done. Not like she always felt Noelle had done once Noelle knew._

_Made her feel less like a villain for giving into temptation when it had been laid in front of her. She wasn't a villain for having an affair and foolishly thinking she had fallen in love._

_Taking a drink of her coffee then, Avery who had been about to say something made a face as the coffee hit her stomach. Making it churn in a way she didn't like. Her legs moving from the chair as she ran to the side of the porch knowing there'd be no way she was going to make it to the bathroom._

_Making it to the side of the porch she felt her eyes close as she lost the small contents of her stomach. The breakfast sandwich she had before leaving the house and now just that tiny sip of coffee._

_Once she was done she leaned against the railing. Feeling a hand on her lower back, leaving comforting rubs._

_"Are you okay?" Kate asked and Avery knew it was her but she hadn't even heard Kate leave her chair. "Are you sick?'_

_Avery shook her head as she finally lifted it, wiping at her mouth. "I'm not..I didn't even feel sick until I took a drink of that coffee," she said looking back at the table to where her coffee was at._

_Kate's face contorted into something she couldn't read after that, though her hand stayed on Avery's back. More than likely in case she got sick again._

_"Is there a possibility you're pregnant?" Kate asked finally and Avery had the urge to laugh then because everyone knew by now Taylor had a vasectomy so there was no way._

_But then the urge died when she remembered Zac and how they'd never not once used protection. Playing russian roulette with her womb obviously._

_"I've had my..." Avery started but stopped when she realized she hadn't had her period this month. She had spotted but nothing full on had ever happened. "I'm not pregnant," she muttered out defiantly knowing one missed period meant nothing._

_She was just stressed and so her period would come eventually. She'd give it until next month to say she was pregnant._

_Kate only gave her a look like she didn't believe Avery. Like she knew Avery was lying to herself and for good reason._

_If Avery was pregnant this baby she maybe had growing inside of her was proof of a love that Avery had thought existed but didn't._

_"I'm not pregnant," Avery told Kate again though she wasn't sure who she was trying to convince. Herself or Kate._

_"If you are, I mean if you don't want this baby I could..we could arrange something," Kate told her softly. So soft that Avery knew she had meant abortion._

_Which shocked Avery because Kate was not the type of person she expected to mention abortion._

_Avery swallowed hard at that though, the prospect of abortion. Getting rid of the baby she had always wanted if she was pregnant._

_Closing her eyes again she once again leaned against the rails. Hating the images behind her eyes then of a baby. A child who was a mix of her and Zac. The proof of the passionate affair she had with Zac. A proof of a love Avery had once wanted to exist._

_"No," Avery finally said. "I don't want to do anything," she spoke softly knowing she wouldn't get rid of this baby if she was pregnant. But she more than likely wasn't._

*****

_Avery sat at her kitchen table as she stared at the date. Willing it to change if she could back to two months ago, back to when her period wasn't late so that she could change things. So that she could make her period come because it was now two months and there was still no period._

_She had told herself she'd wait another month and she had. She had waited and waited and now she still had no period._

_All she had was sore breast and exhaustion and the need to pee every few hours. All signs that it seemed her husband was willing to look over or maybe he didn't want to see._

_All he wanted to see was having his own babies with her it seemed since three days ago he had dropped the news that he had reversed his vasectomy. So of course he wouldn't see that his wife could already be pregnant. That she was pregnant by his brother whom he'd seemingly disowned._

_Hearing a knock at the door Avery sighed as she stood from the chair she was sitting in. Going to the front door knowing that her sister Jessica was supposed to stop by today but that was later in the afternoon. So she wasn't sure who was here now._

_Though when she opened the door she froze as she came face to face with Zac who looked like a wreck. His hair all messed up and his eyes red._

_"Is it true?" Zac asked as he stepped inside of a house he was no longer allowed into per Taylor's words. Avery almost thankful Taylor had left for the studio early this morning._

_"You shouldn't be here," Avery told him as she shut the door behind him. "If Taylor were here he'd..."_

_"I don't care what Taylor would do," Zac growled as he turned to face her and Avery swore he almost resembled some sort of hurt animal. "Is it true Taylor had his vasectomy reversed?" he asked her and Avery paused at his words._

_"How'd you find out?" Avery asked him deciding her words were answer enough to the question he had._

_"Your husband sent me a text this morning," Zac spoke his voice all low. "Rubbed it in my face that he had his vasectomy reversed which meant he could now get you pregnant. Like the idea of you having his baby is some game to him because it means you'd be a prize he'd won."_

_Avery raised her eyebrow skeptically at Zac's words. She wasn't sure she believed them but she also wouldn't have put it past her husband._

_"Well, he hasn't gotten me pregnant yet," Avery shrugged biting her tongue to keep from saying he probably wouldn't for the foreseeable future either if all the symptoms her body was displaying were right._

_Zac frowned at her words stepping closer to her and Avery had to back away from him. Her back hitting the wall as he kept closing in on her. That hurt animal look only growing more on his face._

_"You can't have his babies Avery," Zac told her softly as he leaned his forehead against hers, not giving a fuck about her personal bubble. "Please don't have his babies."_

_"He's my husband," Avery countered knowing she should have pushed him away. Should have been telling him to get the hell out of her house because he was acting like a fool but she didn't._

_Instead she let him stay right where he was. His forehead against hers, their eyes locking which caused Avery to bite at her lip when an ache formed between her legs. Her body clearly wanting what she had given up._

_"And?" Zac asked her as his hands went to rest on her waist. Avery's eyes falling shut when Zac moved his hips into hers feeling his half hard cock. Knowing he was only hard because of whatever weird anger he had over the possibility of Taylor having a baby with her. "Just because he is your husband it doesn't mean you should have a baby with him. Not when you love me."_

_Swallowing hard at his words Avery opened her mouth as she opened her eyes wanting to deny that she loved him. But instead she looked at him all hurt like an animal and kept those words to herself._

_Her silence seemingly giving Zac the idea that he could kiss her because he closed the gap between them. His lips hot on hers as he kissed her eagerly and she hated herself when her eyes shut again._

_Avery kissing him back as the aching between her legs grew even more. Her body telling her that she wanted him while her brain screamed that this was a bad idea._

_Feeling his lips go to the side of her neck Avery tilted her head as she allowed him more access to it. Her hips rocking up into his which caused him to moan against her skin then. Goosebumps forming on her flesh._

_A tiny shiver running through her spine as she felt Zac's hands working on her jeans. Undoing them as he kissed at her neck and all Avery could do was let her hands go down to help him. Pushing her jeans and panties off once he had them undone._

_A moan coming out of her then as his hand found its way between her legs. Rubbing at her wet flesh._

_"We should stop this," Avery told him her voice barely above a whisper but even as she spoke her hands went down to his own jeans. Finding a way to undo his belt before working on the button and zipper of his jeans._

_Zac pulling away from her long enough to step out of his own pants. His boxers going not long after._

_"You sure that's what you really want Avery?" Zac questioned with a raised eyebrow as he looked at her and the look in his eyes was enough to turn her insides to mush. "You really want to stop when you're as wet as you are?" he asked her as he moved back into her. His hand going between her legs again. "You think your hand alone can satisfy you if I get dressed and walk out this door right now?"_

_"No," Avery admitted with an embarrassed blush knowing she wouldn't be able to use her hand to get off the way she needed right now._

_Avery not even sure why she was as horny as she was right now but then the nagging thought came to her brain that it was her pregnancy. The pregnancy was making her horny and very much the slut that Noelle had called her the day she admitted her love to Zac._

_"Not here though," Avery finally relented as she reached down to move Zac's hand away from her. Her hands going to her shirt which she took off leaving her naked in front of Zac._

_Avery not missing the way Zac looked over her body. His eyes staying on her breasts longer and she blushed._

_"Did you get a boob job?" Zac asked with clear amusement in his tone and his words did nothing to kill her blush. Nor did it kill the nagging thought that she was pregnant._

_Avery shook her head at that, watching a question dance around in Zac's eyes but he didn't open his mouth to ask it. Instead he leaned in to kiss her softly. His hand going to rest on her belly lightly like he already knew the dirty little secret that maybe existed._

_A secret that not even Taylor knew or wanted to know._

_"Where do you want me?" Zac asked into her mouth as his hand fell away from her belly. Both his hands going to her waist as he picked her up. Her legs wrapping around him as he did so. "Tell me where you want this at?"_

_Pulling away from the kiss Avery looked down at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "Upstairs in my room," she told him as a weird look crossed his face and she knew why._

_The rules had always been never in her bed with Taylor. But did the rules really matter when the affair was called off and this was just one tiny backslide?_

_Zac didn't seem to call her on her breaking of the rules instead he just carried her upstairs and into the bedroom that before today she had only ever made love to Taylor in._

_The bed she had only ever had Taylor in._

_But when Zac finally laid over her in the bed once he had her laying down. His body pulling away long enough to take off his shirt she knew today she had truly hit a new low._

_But was her low as awful as all the ones Taylor had done? Ruining Zac's life by leaking his pornstar job to the press. Video taping her without her knowledge._

_She thought maybe today made her just the same as him now._

_Letting out a small moan when Zac slipped inside of her. Avery leaned up to kiss him again their bodies soon moving together like no time had passed between them. Like what they were doing was just something natural instead of something that should have been wrong for so many reasons._

_Her eyes falling shut eventually when Zac moved his lips off hers. Attaching them to her breasts lightly as he sucked on them softly. Like he knew applying too much pressure would hurt her._

_Avery half afraid that maybe he did know she was carrying his child more than likely. Afraid that once today was done he'd confront her and she'd have to face reality._

_A reality she didn't want...except every time she closed her eyes when she thought about it she kept picturing that baby that would look like her and Zac._

_A baby that was half Zac's....the man she wasn't allowed to have anymore._

_"Fuck," Avery moaned out as Zac continued to suck at her breasts. His tongue running across her nipple lightly. "I'm going too...already," she told him and her words were enough to make him move his mouth off her as he just looked down at her below him._

_A small smile on his face as he leaned in close enough to kiss her but he didn't._

_"You're not going to have his baby Avery," he told her so softly. "You can't," he added on as he slowed his thrusts some and god she was still so close that edge. "You can't have his baby when you should be having mine," he muttered out on a moan._

_Avery swallowing hard as she shook her head, 'I can't have your baby," she told him knowing she couldn't but she probably was. "But I won't be having his baby anytime soon," she added on as she bit down on her lip._

_Her head turning to the side as both she and Zac went silent at that. Zac's thrusts still slow and yeah she was going to come soon. Her body trembling beneath his when her orgasm finally did hit. Her eyes landing on a picture on the bedside table of her and Taylor from their wedding day._

_Avery turning away from it quickly as she looked back in time to see Zac as his head fell back. His come filling her up as his body stilled._

_Avery biting her tongue to stop the three little words on her tongue. Three words that had the ability to destroy everything in Avery's life but most especially the marriage she had been in for four years._

_Her eyes going back to the picture. Not sure if she could ruin the happiness of the man beside her in that picture just yet. Despite the fact that she knew but didn't want to know there was a ticking time bomb inside of her that would ruin his happiness without her having to even say the words that could do it._


	6. You try to hit me, just hurt me so you leave me feeling dirty

Waking up in bed beside Zac the next day Avery smiled softly as she looked at him sleeping beside her. Loving how peaceful he always seemed to look in the morning and well they needed all the peaceful times they could get.

The court stuff started on Tuesday and they still had four good days. Four days to forget everything that was creeping in on them and Avery wanted to do that.

She didn't want to think of courts and DNA tests and that meeting she had with her lawyer on Monday. So she wasn't going too.

Instead she moved closer to Zac her hand falling on his cock lightly. Watching as he stirred in his sleep some and she smirked as she wrapped her hand around him, stroking him softly as his eyes fluttered open some. A brief look of sleepy confusion on his face.

His brain taking a bit to realize what was happening but once it did he turned his gaze to her.

"What, you've never enjoyed waking up with a hand around your cock?" Avery asked him as she leaned in to kiss his neck. 

"Oh I do," Zac moaned out as his hips bucked into her hand. "I just wasn't expecting it is all," he said and Avery wanted to laugh because where surprise morning hand jobs ever expected?

All Avery did though was roll her eyes and once he was hard enough she removed her hand from his cock. Moving down his body as he kept his gaze on her and the minute her mouth wrapped around his cock she made eye contact with him.

Watching the lazy smirk on his face as his head fell back. Zac clearly enjoying the surprise blow job she was giving him.

Probably because she didn't give him many blow jobs. Though it wasn't because she disliked them, it was only because she liked his cock elsewhere. Liked it inside of her vagina more than in her mouth.

Giving him a wink Avery slowly began to move her mouth on his cock then. Loving the sounds of him moaning and letting himself come undone because of all that she was doing with her mouth.

*****

Chewing on her lip as she sat on the park bench on Monday after her meeting with the lawyer, Avery watched as Joey ran around, playing with Gregory, Kate and Isaac's son who was a few months older than her. Both of them being particularly close because of how close they were in age.

That and also because Joey had never been given a chance to get close to Taylor's children, thanks to Taylor essentially having shut Avery and Zac and their daughter out of his life after everything that happened. 

Avery not even sure how she'd help Joey handle things when it came to it if it came down to Taylor being her father.

"So are you nervous?" Kate asked softly as she adjusted her eight month old daughter Beatrice as she breastfed her. "I mean you go to court tomorrow."

Avery nodded her head as she pushed some hair behind her ear. Taking a long drink from the tea she had ordered herself from the coffeeshop she had stopped by on the way to the park. Afraid to get coffee with the way her stomach had been turning all morning.

Knew at this rate coffee would only make it worse which was why she had been avoiding it for days since the sick feeling had started settling in which was taking all her willpower but she didn't feel like having it come back up.

Knowing on her way home she was going to have to make a trip to the pharmacy. Finally confirm what she knew or at least suspected from having been here before.

"Yeah," Avery sighed as she finally answered Kate. "I mean I know tomorrow's not much, probably maybe just setting up for the DNA test but I'm still nervous for the what comes after. Knowing Joey's life could be most likely changed from what she knows and thinks and how do I get her to adjust to that? How do Zac and I adjust to that?"

Kate raised her eyebrow curiously at Avery's last words, "You and Zac huh?" she questioned with a smile. "As in a team?"

Blushing Avery looked away as she took another long drink from her tea, "As in a couple," she admitted with a tiny smile liking the way the word came out of her mouth as well as telling someone else. Knowing now it wasn't just Vickie who knew but Kate. "We're kind of dating," she revealed feeling like a teenager admitting to her first boyfriend.

Even though she was a late twenty some year old woman who had a kid and an ex-husband in her belt.

"So I take it you no longer are in love with Taylor?" Kate asked again and there was no scorn there like there would be if it had been Noelle she was having this conversation with but it wasn't.

Avery had been avoiding Noelle for weeks ever since she had told Taylor about Joey. Avery finally having had enough of her supposed best friend inserting herself in Avery's life when she had no business doing that really.

"If you had asked me that a few short months ago I would say you were wrong," Avery sighed as she looked away from Kate before taking a deep breath. "Now though, I think I love him I always will love him on some level. He was my husband for four years. The first man I fell in love with and truly dated, I mean I was eighteen when I met him. But I'm not eighteen anymore and Taylor's done too much to hurt me," she sighed knowing there were so many bridges he had burned with her. "Zac's always been there and I've always been blind to it because I felt this need to stay loyal to that eighteen year old girl who first fell in love with Taylor no matter how bad things were or got or the shit he pulled but now, I can't do that."

"Ah, it's called growing up," Kate smiled which made Avery laugh some. "So I think the question here is are you in love with our beloved dear asshole Zachary?" she teased with a knowing look like she already knew what Avery's words would be.

"Yes," Avery confessed as her smile grew again as she said the word. "I think I am in love with him," she told her honestly as she bit her lip feeling like a weight had been lifted off her as she said that. "I'm just scared that if Joey is Taylor's that Taylor will find a way to ruin things," she frowned knowing he would.

He always did when he wanted something. He'd ruin his own relationships like he had with Natalie when they got together or he'd ruin others like he had done with Zac and Natalie when he took over the main role in Ezra's life.

"Yeah but Joey could be Zac's," Kate shrugged like she believed there was still a possibility. "I think everyone especially Walker and your friend Noelle are counting Zac out too soon," she said as she adjusted herself once Beatrice had gotten done with her feeding. Kate lifting her daughter to burp her. 

Avery just looked at Kate almost skeptically, "I mean they have big reasons for thinking the way they do."

"Maybe," Kate said and again she sounded like she actually believed there was a possibility Zac could be Joey's father. "Everyone seems to forget Zac's mother and her family are this unknown mystery and who knows what allergies she had or someone close to her had. I mean Isaac doesn't have the allergy and neither does Gregory but Bea does," she said as she looked down at her daughter. "Obviously it's where Diana has it because I didn't cheat on Isaac."

Falling silent at that Avery let her eyes go back to the kids. Feeling a bit of hope at Kate's words because she herself had never even really thought of the possibility of Zac's mom.

It made sense though because the only thing they knew about her from what Walker had said was she had been twenty and a woman he had a brief fling with after a meeting in a bar. The woman having realized early on in her pregnancy that she hadn't wanted a baby and so she had just handed Zac over.

Like Zac had meant nothing which Avery still hurt to think about that because she knew how much that decision had hurt Zac. The same as Diana rejecting him had.

Though Vickie did love him even if he sometimes felt she had too because of the fact that she had married Walker once he had all the boys. They were just part of the package of the man she was marrying.

It was a line of thinking Taylor had too.

*****

_Avery felt tears stinging at her eyes as she looked down at the magazine on the kitchen counter. A hand falling to the swell of her belly. A belly that was just beginning to show as she neared her sixth month._

_"You didn't think he'd do it?" Zac asked from behind her which made her turn her head. "That he wouldn't have his friends watching my place just to get a picture of you leaving or pictures so he could use it against you in the divorce?"_

_"I didn't think he'd let pictures like this get to the press," Avery sighed as she shook her head looking at the front cover of the magazine again. A magazine that was splashed with a slogan about a country scandal. Taylor Hanson's soon to be ex-wife shacking up with his brother and having a baby._

_Avery's bump clearly visible in the picture on the magazine. The article inside listing the details of how their split really happened and not using the sugarcoated version like the People Magazine article had used when it first happened._

_"He's just pissed you're living with me," Zac told her as he moved closer to her. His hand going to rest on her stomach too. Trying to find where their baby was now. "Not like you have much of a choice since Taylor's trying to take you to the cleaners in this divorce and he's forbidden our father from letting you stay there because if he does it could show bias."_

_"I thought he loved me," Avery sighed as she let herself lean against Zac some. Her eyes closing as Zac just held her, his presence helping her like it had helped her in the hospital a week ago._

_Avery's dehydration having lead her to being afraid that she was losing this baby. That she was losing a piece of Zac, a fact she hated to admit to herself but her guard was done right now so maybe she could._

_Just this once allow herself to admit maybe she wasn't so opposed to the idea that she was having Zac's child._

_"Maybe he does," Zac told her as he kissed her cheek softly. "Or maybe he just liked the idea of you because you were young and naive and impressionable when you met him and he could shape you into what he wanted."_

_Shaking her head Avery turned around in Zac's arms, "I think he loved me," she told him positive he had to have loved her. Four years had to have meant something. "I need to find my own place though Zac. Staying with you just looks horrible on me. Even more so now that I'm splashed all over the press as a cheating whore shacking up with my lover."_

_"Is that such a bad title to have Ave?" Zac questioned as he locked eyes with her. "Being thought of as mine and having my baby. Regardless of how the press shows it."_

_"It is when I don't love you and I want this baby to be Taylor's," she spoke hating the way her words seemed to burn her own throat at the end._

_Frowning slightly when Zac moved away from her. A hurt look on his face and she knew she had went too far with that last bit._

_She had went too far and she couldn't take those words back._

_"Yeah, I agree," Zac nodded his head. "You should find your own place. Having you here is fucking with my head."_

*****

"What's that box mommy?" Joey asked as they put away some of the stuff Avery had picked up while she had made her store run. 

Turning her head Avery saw Joey pointing to the pregnancy test that was still in a bag on the kitchen table and Avery swallowed hard as she picked her daughter up on her hip. 

"It's a special test mommy has to take," Avery told her not really sure how to tell her daughter what it was. "Daddy may have made mommy sick," she explained as she cringed at her own words. Joey looking perplexed by them.

"Daddy's sick?" Joey questioned her whole face seeming to scrunch up. "He seemed fine when we visited him for lunch before seeing Aunt Katie."

"No, daddy's not sick," Avery shook her head as she sighed walking upstairs towards Joey's room. "It..well...it's hard to explain right now sweet Josephine," she muttered as they made it to her room. 

"So a grown up thing?" Joey asked after Avery had put her down and she crossed her arms looking very much like a diva right now.

Avery heaved a sigh as she nodded her head, "Yeah like a grown up thing," she told her daughter before smiling watching as Joey just looked her over deciding if she wanted to believe what Avery was telling her.

"But you'll tell me soon?" Joey questioned with a hint of worry in her tone.

"If I'm sick then yeah I'll tell you," Avery told her daughter as she bent down to her level holding out her pinky. "I pinky promise," she said watching as Joey soon hooked her pinky around her own and Avery smiled more before standing up.

Telling Joey to play with her toys in her room while she went downstairs to fix dinner. Avery waiting until Joey seemed occupied with her toys before leaving the room and heading downstairs.

Going back into her kitchen she grabbed the bag with the pregnancy test and headed into her bathroom that was off the kitchen. Her shaking hands going to lock the door as she worked to take the box out of the bag and open it once she did have it out.

Avery not sure how she had gotten to this place for the second time this year with not that many months between them. Well no, she'd known how she'd gotten here.

She'd had a lot of unprotected sex with Zac albeit foolishly because she wasn't even sure if Zac wanted a baby and she hadn't been sure herself if she was ready for another either.

She knew when she had taken the one when she was scared she was pregnant by Taylor that she had realized while she was waiting that she didn't want a baby then.

But then she had went back and been so careless with Zac.

"Here goes nothing," Avery muttered to herself as she walked to the toilet to follow the instructions on the test.

*****

Avery had just finished Joey's bedtime story. Standing to put the book she had been reading to her daughter up as well as shut the door when Joey saying her name made her stop. 

"Did daddy make you sick mommy?" Joey asked as she looked at Avery quizzically.

Laughing Avery only shook her head as she bent down to Joey's level, ruffling her hair some before smiling. "You're daddy did make me sick," she confirmed as she thought back to the pregnancy test.

The positive result not shocking her at all when she had gotten it.

"Is it a bad sick mommy?"

"No sweet Josephine," Avery smiled as she traced her finger down Joey's cheek. "It is the good kind of sick," she said before chewing on her lip. "You know how Auntie Katie was before baby Bea was born?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and Joey nodded. "Well I'm sorta of like that too."

"Does that mean we're getting a baby Bea mommy?" she questioned and Avery laughed again.

"Not exactly a baby Bea but we will get a baby," Avery told her with a smile. "Do you want a baby?" she asked her softly not sure how Joey would handle having a baby when she had been the only kid for three years.

Then again if the hope that Kate had given her turned out to be false hope, Avery guessed Joey would have to learn fast how to accept having siblings since she'd have Ezra and Penny.

"I want a baby boy Bea," Joey told her and Avery guessed that answer was good enough for her.

"Well, I'm not sure it will be a baby boy Bea but it will be a baby," Avery said as she leaned in to kiss Joey's cheek. "But can you do me a favor and not tell daddy yet?" Avery asked as she pulled away. "It's something mommy needs to tell him."

Joey nodded her head eagerly Avery almost wanting to believe her daughter could keep this secret but not sure if she could. 

Just Avery needed some time, a way to think of to tell Zac because she wasn't sure now was the right time. Not when tomorrow was the beginning of what Avery feared would be a semi long drama with Taylor.

Though she knew she'd have to do it soon. Otherwise her body would eventually do it for her or Joey would.

Because Avery knew three year olds really couldn't keep secrets well.

*****

_Looking down as she fixed her clothes, Avery blushed as she looked over at Taylor who was fixing his own clothes. The both of them having left the courthouse together after their divorce had been finalized. Avery not even having been surprised when Taylor pulled onto a non busy backroad and pulled over._

_The both of them having sex. Though Taylor had refused to take her clothes off. Avery knowing or suspecting it was because he didn't want to see her belly and be reminded that her bump. Her swollen bump was because of his brother and not him._

_"You know I'm sorry about what I did right?" Avery asked him needing him to know she was sorry. His silence after that letting her know that obviously he wasn't so sure of it. "I can't say I'd change things because I'm not sure I'd want to give up my baby," she frowned as she rested a hand on her stomach. "But I would change how much this all hurt you in ways."_

_Taylor let out a long bitter chuckle, "But that's the thing Avery," he told her as he started his car back up. "It would have always hurt me," he told her sighing. "You know Zac and I barely tolerate each other at best and you chose him to screw around with," he muttered as he drove away from where they had been parked. "You were going to fucking run off with him too."_

_"I'd only thought about it," Avery defended with a frown. "I'm not sure I actually could have in the end."_

_"But you still thought about it Ave. You actually thought of a happy ending with the one man who really doesn't deserve one in his entire life."_

_"Everyone deserves a happy ending Taylor," Avery countered knowing that while she didn't...couldn't ever love Zac he did deserve that. "He deserves a woman who can love him like he truly wants and needs."_

_"No," Taylor said harshly. "He deserves to be alone just like he made me be alone when my mom left us," he sneered out and Avery had to bite her tongue._

_Keep from telling Taylor if he was still harboring grudges over that he might need help or something._

_"You sound like him you know," she told him deciding just to be honest. "You and your mommy issues," she said watching as Taylor turned to glare at her._

_The car falling silent._

_Avery taking the silence to get lost in her head. A nagging thought plaguing at her that she needed to know. Hadn't wanted to know while married to him but needed to know now._

_"Did you ever cheat on me Taylor?" she asked him softly not able to look up at him._

_Swallowing hard Taylor kept his eyes on the road. "I had my own affair," he admitted not even able to look at her as he did so. "After I knew you were fucking my brother I decided to fuck the person closest to you," he continued and Avery felt her stomach turn at that._

_Not even having to ask who he meant because she knew. He had slept with Noelle. The same Noelle who had fucked Zac to prove a point to her and maybe Zac was right now. Maybe the text Taylor had sent him the day she ended things and Noelle showing up after weren't a coincidence after all._

_Maybe it had all been a plan. So Taylor truly could keep Zac from getting the happy ending he wanted. Taylor knowing or suspecting if she had just walked into Zac's apartment that day to end things he would have fought more and Avery could have bent to his will._

_Except she had seen him with Noelle and she hadn't bent to his will then and he hadn't fought her._

_"More than once?" Avery asked him softly as she swallowed a lump in her throat._

_"I'm still sleeping with her Avery," Taylor sighed like he wasn't even ashamed of himself. "She has a husband but she wants someone else that she can't have so I fulfill that need for her and she's just there to get my dick wet until I can find a woman who won't be such a goddamn whore and fuck one of my brothers," he finished and Avery who had already felt kicked by him hated that he just had to get one more kick in._

_Like he had no regard for the love they had shared for four years. All because she had messed up and gotten pregnant by his brother. All because she had convinced herself she loved Zac for a bit._

_Her baby choosing then to kick as if to remind her of who it belonged to. Who its father was and everything they had done to each other as well._

_How they kept burning bridges that she wasn't sure they'd ever be able to fix._

*****

Leaving the courtroom once they were done for the day, Avery practically sprinted out of there knowing she just wanted to get back to Zac who was watching Joey and tell him everything she had found out.

That the DNA test was being done in January after the Christmas holidays which meant they both had longer to sit and worry. Something Avery knew she'd do in the end even with the hope that Kate had given her on not counting Zac out.

That Zac could very well still be her father because no one knew the medical history of Zac's mother's family and so the allergy very well could have came from him. 

But that hope had semi been dashed some when Taylor while under oath had admitted to having his vasectomy reversed sooner than he had even told Zac and Avery. Admitting he had done it just two weeks after finding out about Avery's affair.

Again it was one of those facts that Avery knew Taylor had never wanted to tell her. Never wanted to let her in on because he was just this weird enigma that kept everyone at length.

A product of his past she knew. But it was a product that had the ability to hurt people and ruin lives. It wasn't a good kind.

"Avery," Taylor spoke from behind Avery and Avery stopped in her tracks not really wanting to talk to him or see him after this new admission. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," he told her and his words made her stop. A part of her happy that they were outside the courthouse now.

"You're sorry you forgot to tell me while I was still your wife that you had your vasectomy reversed a lot sooner?!" Avery asked him her voice hissing as it rose. "How many more secrets do you have in your closet there Taylor?" she asked him with a shake of her head. "Is Noelle's baby yours?" she asked him knowing her question had threw him off guard.

He hadn't expected her to remember about the affair he had admitted too.

"No," Taylor retorted with a shake of his head. "We're not...she ended it once she knew I told you," he said and of course it was Noelle who had ended it. Not Taylor..never fucking Taylor. "But there's no more secrets," he told her and Avery wanted to believe him.

She wanted to believe he had been telling the truth but how many times had they been here before? 

"I don't want to do this Avery," Taylor spoke his voice going all soft as one of his hands went to rest on her arm. "We have a child together and I don't want us to hate each other. Not like you and Zac do," he spoke as if he didn't even know or suspect that anything had changed between her and Zac. "I want us to get along for Joey's sake."

Swallowing Avery looked away from him, "We don't know if we have a child together," she corrected him. "And even if she is yours Taylor, it's not going to be as easy as you think," she told him as she thought of how attached Joey was to Zac and him to her. Not to mention the child she was now pregnant with herself.

A baby she still had yet to tell Zac about but she would..soon. 

"I know that," Taylor sighed like he was admitting defeat. "I'm willing to let Zac stay in her life for a year. Just to help her get used to that transition to me as her father. I'm willing to give him one more year being in her life before he has to go. Find someone else to have a family with."

"He can't have a family with me?" Avery asked him with a raised eyebrow keeping her cards close. Not revealing that she was pregnant.

Once again she was carrying Zac's child in her womb and at least this time she could be positive it wouldn't change three years down the line.

Taylor laughed as he moved his hand off her arm, "If you two could ever get along to have a family I'd love to see it," he said with a shake of her head. "But I highly doubt that would happen anyway. Not when you and I both know you still love me. You're actions the night of my concert said as much," he smiled at her as he stepped closer. "That you even thought about threatening me over the possibility of having my baby. You still want that family we should have had."

Glaring at Taylor, Avery just shook her head because she didn't still want that. She had then but time had passed and a lot had happened in that time. No matter how short it seemed.

"Can you just have dinner with me at our old house tonight Avery?" Taylor questioned as he locked eyes with her. "You and me and Joey," he said as he smiled at the mention of Joey. Like he'd always loved her when Avery knew he hadn't. "She can get to know me as her Uncle Tay still like she was getting to know me as on Thanksgiving."

"I'm sorry," Avery spoke using Taylor's favorite lines against him. "I already have plans to have dinner with a friend," she told him with a shrug of her shoulders.

Smiling at the thought of Zac and Joey at his apartment waiting on her. Zac indeed having talked her into letting him fix dinner at his place.

Apparently he'd had Vickie teach him how to make some simple meals and he wanted to try Spaghetti with her. He wanted to fix dinner for his daughter and the woman he loved.

"But you aren't on speaking terms with Noelle right now," Taylor said and Avery sighed with a roll of her eyes. They might not have been fucking but it seemed Noelle and Taylor were still close enough that they talked.

They talked about her which pissed Avery off because who knows what all Noelle had told him during their three years apart.

At least now she knew never to trust Noelle.

"I didn't say it was Noelle," Avery told him as she kept her face neutral. "I have more friends than her in my life," she lied because she really didn't.

She had never wanted to branch out. Not knowing who to trust after Taylor had ruined her in the media. Any friends she had it seemed had all left or pulled away some.

Taylor only looked at her as if she were crazy.

"You could just turn them down," Taylor retorted and once again his hand was on her arm. "Please have dinner with me Avery," he spoke again as he leaned in to leave a kiss on her cheek. "I miss you," he spoke uttering words she would have killed for him to say for years.

When she had been in denial about a lot of things.

Avery somehow realizing then and there in that moment how many things she had taken for granted. How much she could still take for granted if she let herself fall into the palm of Taylor's hand again.

"I can't just turn them down Taylor," Avery said as she moved away from him then. "I have a life now and my world doesn't revolve around you. It hasn't for awhile," she muttered out harshly as she turned on her heel then.

Leaving Taylor standing in the middle of the parking lot.

"You know I love the chase Avery," Taylor finally called out after her. Avery only rolling her eyes at his words. Not even responding to him.

*****

_"You have a date tonight?!" Avery asked Zac not even caring that they were in the middle of his apartment parking lot. Joey in the carseat in Avery's car._

_The newly two year old child awake and probably wondering what was going on outside the car. Avery knowing she was getting more curious._

_"It's my birthday Avery," Zac retorted with a sigh. "What was I supposed to do. Stay home and sulk by myself. I'm single and the mother of my child had refused to do what I asked her when I asked if she could let me have my daughter on my birthday," he said reminding her of the phone call last week._

_Where he had asked politely if she would let him have Joey for the day._

_"I wanted it to be a surprise that I planned to bring her here," Avery lied because the truth was she had no intentions of bringing Joey here._

_But then Aiden, the college boy she was seeing had called and asked if they could go out tonight and now Avery needed someone to watch Joey and who better than Zac. Her father and the man she had denied letting see her because she didn't want him to spend time with her._

_Didn't want the man who had been responsible for her life falling apart to see his daughter._

_"That is such bullshit Avery," Zac told her as he walked closer to where she was. Avery being backed into her car as she just looked up at him. "It's exactly like you said when you showed up here. You have a date with Aiden and you only want me as your designated babysitter. Like all I am to you still is just some sperm donor when it comes to Josephine."_

_When Avery didn't say anything Zac finally moved away from her. Avery refusing to look at him._

_"I'm done with this bullshit from you Avery," he told her with a wary sigh. "Do you know how much my life has revolved around you for years? I'd do anything for you but you come here and expect me to jump at your beck and call when you always treat me like shit," he snapped with a shake of his head. "You treat me like shit and I could get the first few months of your pregnancy. You blamed me but it's time you stop it now. It's been two years and I'm tired and I just want to move on," he told her._

_Avery not sure if he wanted to move on from her or move on from the way they treated each other._

_The first option actually made her a bit sad. The second sounded nice but Avery liked being stubborn_

_"So because you don't want to love me anymore you're just going to abandon our daughter?" Avery asked him as her voice went cold. "Next thing I know you'll become your mother," she retorted watching as Zac's nose flared at her words._

_Zac let out an annoyed sounding laugh as he let his hand run down his face in clear frustration. Avery knowing she'd hit a nerve made him hurt on some level like he had made her upset over the prospect of him moving on from her._

_Which was just silly and weird._

_"You're a fucking goddamn bitch Avery," Zac spat out as he moved closer to her again. "And some days I think my life would be better if I could just hate you," he told her sounding completely honest when he said that._

_He did want to hate her and the sad reality was Avery knew she'd deserve it if he did hate her._

_Swallowing hard Avery looked away from him, listening as he sighed._

_"Just get Joey out of the car," he spoke again his voice making her lift her head to look at him. "I'll call Jenna and ask for a raincheck on the date tonight."_

*****

"Are you okay?" Zac asked Avery as they both sat on his couch after dinner that night. "You've been off since you got here and I'm almost afraid I've done something wrong. That or something else happened at the hearing that you aren't telling me about."

"Nothing happened and you didn't do anything," Avery frowned as she looked at him. Feeling tears well up in her eyes as she shook her head. "It was me who did something. A lot of somethings," she said not sure where this bout of being emotional and dramatic was coming from.

In the end all she could pin it on was her pregnancy hormones getting the best of her.

"I was such a bitch to you for so long," Avery sighed as she finally felt the tears that had well up in her eyes go down her cheek. "I was a bitch and I was so blind to what was right in front of me this whole time," she sighed with a shake of her head.

"And what was right in front of you this whole time?" Zac asked her softly as he scooted closer to her, Avery chewing on her lip when he pushed some hair out of her face.

"That I knew you were always in love with me and I..god I've been in love with you too this whole time," Avery admitted as her voice caught in her throat some as she said the words. "I love you and I've always loved you Zachary Walker Hanson," she told him as she used his full name. "And I'm so sorry that I was such a bitch for years because I don't..I really don't deserve you."

Zac smiled at her words as he let his thumb go up to wipe away some of her tears. "I've already forgiven you," he told her as he leaned in to leave a light kiss on her cheek. "I love you and I don't care about what you did in the past," he whispered against her skin and Avery wanted to believe him.

She really did but she knew that was hard to do.

"It's one thing this whole counseling thing helps me with okay. I have to learn to let go of past hurts," Zac continued as his lips trailed down to her neck. "I knew you had your reasons even as much as back then I would have loved to hear you say what you did tonight, I knew you couldn't," he sighed as he finally pulled his body away from hers. "Because I love you too. I've been forever gone for you for awhile now and I'm not sure I want to change it just because you think I deserve better."

Smiling some at Zac's last words Avery leaned in again then, kissing him on the lips. Not really wanting him to stop loving her either just because she thought he deserved better. She wanted him loving her.

She wanted him wanting her just like she loved and wanted him.

Letting Zac push her back against the couch, Avery let her eyes fall shut as she kissed him harder. A small moan coming out of her mouth as she felt his hand slip up and under her shirt. A tiny shiver running down her spine when Zac's lips finally went back to her neck.

Avery letting her hips move up into his which caused him to moan against her skin and again a shiver ran down her spine.

Pulling away from Zac, Avery lifted her shirt off, throwing it to the floor before smiling up at Zac. "You think you can make love to me?" she asked him with a smile on her face.

Their brown eyes locking as Zac nodded his head almost eagerly.

"Oh trust me Avery," Zac told her with a smirk. "I think I can always make love to you," he muttered as he kissed her again and Avery returned the kiss.

Feeling what hope Kate had given her the other day build back up.

She and Zac loved each other and maybe they'd get it all. Maybe they'd find out Joey was his and they could raise her and this baby she still had yet to tell him about.

Avery still not exactly sure how to do it. When the time would be right to tell him she was pregnant with their second child.


	7. You tried to fit into the arms where I belong

_Standing backstage at Taylor's latest hometown gig in Nashville. Some charity event that he was working with, Avery crossed her arms over her chest as she stood next to a woman she had been talking too all night._

_A woman who she now knew was named Noelle and who's husband Brandon had gotten her backstage passes as a anniversary gift._

_Noelle had joked he was treating her better than his first wife because he didn't want her to cheat on him like his first wife had._

_It was at that moment things clicked between Noelle and Avery. The both of them soon swapping stories on what it was like being second wives. Somehow dubbing themselves the second wives club._

_A play on that old movie the First Wives Club because honestly, second wives deserved a club too. Even if majority of them were homewreckers which Noelle had assured Avery she wasn't, not that Avery could judge her if she had been._

_Avery after all was a homewrecker. She had indulged in a year long affair with Taylor and been the cause of his marriage to Natalie ending. She was sure Noelle had to have known it too as it had been splashed on every trashy gossip magazine there was during that time._

_But two years had passed since then and Taylor had been her husband for almost as long and it seemed the media and everyone had moved on._

_Except sometimes Avery still blamed herself, especially since she knew things with Natalie would never be great. They'd never get along though Avery tried her best to mend those fences. Always sending home baked goods with the kids on the weekends she and Taylor had them._

_Refraining from going to events like sports stuff or Penny's plays she did at school because she didn't want to impose. Didn't want to make Natalie uncomfortable._

_"You know," Noelle spoke as she looked back at Avery. "I think this day was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between you and I," she smiled and Avery couldn't help but return it because she thought the same thing._

_This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Not that Avery had many friends to begin with because ever since marrying Taylor it was harder to know which friends were using her just to get to him but Noelle didn't seem that way even if she was obviously a fan of his music._

*****

Walking into the coffeeshop to meet Noelle the morning after she had basically confessed her love to Zac. Avery felt like a bundle of nerves, not even sure why she had agreed to this meeting with Noelle when Noelle had texted her this morning asking if they could talk.

Asking if they could meet at their usual place. Avery agreeing because maybe deep down she hoped that Noelle wanted to ask for forgiveness though she doubted that was the case.

Noelle had never asked for forgiveness for anything. Not for sleeping with Zac and not for her affair with Taylor.

Going to the counter when she didn't see Noelle yet, Avery got her regular food order but skipped on the coffee. Opting for the tea yet again because the tea at least agreed with her stomach and god knew she needed something that did that after the awful bout of morning sickness she had this morning.

Avery remembering how concerned Zac had been and she knew she should have told him then about the baby but she didn't.

Instead she kept silent as well as praying that Joey didn't say anything, especially once Zac had told Joey mommy had been sick this morning.

But luckily her daughter had remained silent. Not giving Avery up just yet.

Coming out of her thoughts when her order was ready Avery walked over to a table and sat down. Looking down at her phone in time to see a text from Noelle telling her that she was close by and would be there soon. Avery's nerves once again building at that.

*****

_"You were right," Noelle smiled at Avery as they talked in hushed tones on Skype. Avery off visiting Taylor on tour while Noelle was stuck in Nashville. "I loved that stripper series starring Jack Snow," she revealed._

_"So you get it?" Avery asked with a blush on her face. "You get why I want him to fuck me into a mattress and have me call him daddy?" she asked hoping to God, Taylor was still in the venue for soundcheck._

_Not sure how she'd explain that because of course she hadn't told her husband about her porn fascination. That for the last year she had been using it to get her off while he was on the road._

_Her favorite porn being the ones that had the pornstar Jack Snow in them. There was just something about him that drew Avery in. Something familiar that she couldn't place but god did she want too._

_"Oh I get that," Noelle nodded proudly. "But I think what I really want to do is just ride his cock Avery. It's so much bigger than Brandon's and I know it's crazy but I think I have a slight crush on this guy. What I wouldn't do to be the one he's fucking in real life."_

_Laughing Avery only shook her head, "I'm not sure I'd go that far."_

_"Yeah because your sex life is still great Avery," Noelle confessed as some of her excitement went away. "Brandon's always busy with work which I get being a doctor and all but I just...I can see why Wendy cheated on him. Even when he has time it's like he never wants to fuck me. I'm surprised I even got pregnant," she said as she looked down at her swollen belly._

_Her baby due any day now and Avery just hoped she didn't miss the birth of the little boy. Especially since Avery was going to be his godmother once he got baptized. Noelle having decided on that early on._

*****

"Sorry I was a bit late," Noelle said as she sat across from Avery in the booth. "Hayden was being a brat," she muttered with a roll of her eyes at the mention of her four year old son.

"It's fine," Avery lied as she took a bite of her food to have something to distract herself for a bit. "I know how kids can be," she added on after she swallowed her food.

Noelle paused at that, like she was taking in Avery's words, "Yeah I guess you do," she laughed. "But Joey seems better behaved than Hayden is. I think girls are just born better behaved which makes me sad this baby is another boy. What I wouldn't give to have a daughter."

Forcing a smile, Avery reached for her tea as she took a long drink. "Joey has her days," she said knowing there were some days Avery swore her daughter liked to show just how much of Zac's child she really was.

"She gets it from her daddy," Noelle smiled. "God knows Taylor is a diva."

Keeping her forced smile it took everything Avery had not to go off. Tell her that Taylor wasn't Joey's father but she didn't. Knew it would be useless when it came to Noelle.

Instead Avery just had to take another drink from her tea, not missing the look that Noelle gave her at that. Like she had just realized Avery wasn't drinking her regular coffee which hell, she probably had.

"Not in the mood for coffee today?" Noelle asked with a raised eyebrow.

Looking away from Noelle's gaze, Avery felt her cheeks getting hot. Knowing what Noelle was doing. Avery had only given up coffee when she had been pregnant with Joey. Mainly because she couldn't keep it down and it seemed with this pregnancy she was going to be the same way.

Unable to keep her beloved favorite drink down.

"Something like that," she offered watching as Noelle's gaze turned intent.

"Are you pregnant?" Noelle asked her finally cutting right to the chase it seemed. "Because that's the only time you've given up coffee willingly."

"Yes," Avery admitted before she could even stop herself with that admission. Knowing she shouldn't have told Noelle because she knew this would get back to Taylor.

Knew at the rate she was going he'd know about her pregnancy before Zac even did.

"Oh god," Noelle muttered as her face changed to something unreadable. "Oh my fucking god Avery," she hissed as she moved in some. "You got pregnant when you slept with Taylor again didn't you?" she asked her sounding almost excited at the prospect.

Avery half sure she felt a headache coming on.

"No," Avery denied because luckily for her she hadn't gotten pregnant then. Her period having come two days after she had taken her pregnancy test that Zac had bought her. "No," she said again watching as a look of disbelief settled on Noelle's face.

"If it's not Taylor's baby then whose baby is it Avery?" Noelle asked her as she locked eyes with her. The headache Avery having felt before getting worse now.

"Zac's," Avery confessed watching as an even bigger look of disbelief settled on her friends face.

Noelle laughing slightly as she shook her head, "You expect me to believe you are pregnant with Zac's baby?" she asked her with a raised eyebrow. "After everything I did to ensure that you'd stay away from him?" she questioned and her words made Avery's blood run cold.

Everything that Noelle had done finally seeming to hit Avery all at once, yet again.

"You mean manipulating my life?" Avery asked her snapping finally. Not even caring if anyone close by heard. "Because that is what you did. You manipulated me Noelle and you took years I could have spent with Zac away from me. Away from us."

When Noelle opened her mouth to object Avery shook her head.

"No," she told her as she put a hand up. "I've always wondered why you did what you did. Why you slept with him when you also were having my husband too. In the end none of it actually matters to me anymore though. All that matters is I love Zac and I'm having his baby and regardless of whatever happens with Joey and the DNA test, I'm going to be with him. We're going to be a family in the end," she told Noelle almost sounding stern.

Avery taking a breath finally as they both fell silent after that. Noelle only glaring at her some.

"Taylor's going to be so hurt and disappointed when he finds out," Noelle spoke as she shook her head.

"Yeah and I'm sure you'll tell him the first chance you get," Avery sighed as she stood from the table. "Isn't that what you like to do? Run off and tell my ex-husband everything?" she asked her with a raised eyebrow.

Loving the bit of satisfaction she felt when Noelle turned white at her words.

"I think it's time we're both honest here Noelle," Avery said as she reached for her purse. "Our friendship or whatever this is, ran its course years ago," she spoke as she finally left the table.

Leaving Noelle behind and not even looking back. Avery surprised at how little she actually hurt since she had said what she did, effectively ending their friendship.

Yeah, she'd miss her godson in the end but even Hayden wasn't worth everything Noelle had done to her over the years.

*****

"So, how'd it go with Noelle?" Zac asked as he sat outside on Avery's porch with her. The both of them wearing jackets because December cold had finally seemed to settle in some.

Avery feeling like the cold was a sign of things to come but she wasn't sure if they were good or bad things. 

She could only hope good but in the end she knew it could go either way, especially with the DNA test looming over her head.

"I ended our friendship," Avery told Zac watching as he smiled some though he did his best to hide it just as quickly. But he'd been saying she should have done it after what Noelle had done with him.

Avery had just been stubborn and hadn't wanted to listen. But back then she had been stubborn on a lot of things including her feelings for Zac. But now well she was done being stubborn about everything. She was in love with Zac and Noelle was a shitty friend.

"Can I ask what caused it?" Zac asked her as he leaned in softly to kiss at her cheek. Avery letting her eyes fall shut at the feel of his lips on her skin. "Because I've been wanting this for so long but I really like knowing I probably played no part in this," he spoke letting his lips stay on her skin.

Avery's eyes closing tighter as Zac's lips worked their way down to her neck and she was already getting turned on for him and it wasn't even time for dinner yet.

Joey was just inside the house, taking a nap in her bedroom and there'd be no time for a quickie but fuck did she want one.

"But it was kind of because of you," Avery admitted feeling as Zac stilled in what he was doing. Her eyes opening right as Zac pulled away to look at her quizzically and she knew what he was asking without even saying it.

He wanted to know how it was because of him.

"I'm pregnant Zac," Avery finally told him as she looked away from his gaze. That whole bundle of nerves feeling coming back to her. "And it's your baby and she didn't react well and I guess I went off," she shrugged as she finally looked back at him seeing that his expression had changed but not by much.

He was still very much confused.

"Can we back up a few?" Zac spoke again after a while. "To the fact that you're pregnant and it's my baby."

Blushing Avery felt her nerves grow slightly, "I'm pregnant and it's your baby," she told him feeling nervous for his full reaction.

Not even sure if he'd want this baby because they hadn't really talked about kids anytime soon. They'd just officially gotten together after all.

Then again Joey had came along unexpectedly and this was their norm it seemed. Having unplanned babies with each other.

"You're pregnant?" he asked like reality was starting to sink in and Avery nodded her head. Watching as a smile worked its way onto his lips. "We're having another baby?" he asked but it was more of a statement and before she could say or do anything Zac's lips were on hers in a kiss.

Avery having all the answers then it seemed. He wanted this baby and at least for now things were okay still. Everything was okay.

She had the man she loved and she had Joey and this baby growing inside of her. Her family.

Nothing could ruin it right now. 

But that thought must have jinxed things it seemed. Because right after she had it a vehicle pulled into her driveway. Avery and Zac pulling apart in time to see Taylor parking his truck.

A sick kind of dread building in Avery's stomach because what in the hell did Taylor want? Couldn't he just let her live in peace until they had to see each other again at the next court related thing?


	8. You win my love, yeah you're number one

"So, you and him?" Taylor asked as soon as he stepped out of his truck. Avery staying seated where she was, on the porch, by Zac. "You're really with him?" he asked her with a raised eyebrow like he couldn't believe it.

Though Avery knew whether he wanted too or not he'd seen them kissing. Would have to believe it whether he wanted too or not.

Nodding her head Avery stood up as Taylor walked closer to the porch. "Yeah me and him we're really together," she confirmed watching out of the corner of her eye as Zac stood up as well.

His actions being more on edge than hers because he knew how Taylor was. How Taylor could be and he wanted to obviously protect her, especially since he knew she was pregnant with his child again.

If Taylor did anything to hurt her Avery was half sure Zac would kill him on the spot.

"And you're having his baby?" Taylor asked another question as he stopped right in front of the stairs where she and Zac were. "Noelle said you were having his baby."

"I am pregnant by him," Avery confirmed once again as she watched a look of disgust cross Taylor's face. Her pregnancy it seemed rattling him as much as it had when he knew about Joey being on the way too.

Except this time she hadn't cheated and he was just being an asshole who couldn't let her go. Something she had been doing with him for weeks now.

Letting him go as she realized how she felt about Zac. How she'd always felt about Zac.

"When it comes back Joey is mine, I'm going to do everything I can to take her from you Avery," Taylor told her as if he'd just made up his mind. "Especially if you insist on being with him," he added on as his eyes landed on Zac.

Avery watching as both brothers just glared at each other and she half wished this were a different life. A life in which everyone got along with each other.

But fate had already decided they never would it seemed. All thanks to the fact that Walker had cheated on Diana and ruined so many lives and hearts...history somehow repeating itself with them too as they'd grown up.

Avery and Zac having broken their own hearts ages ago as well as Taylor's.

"If that's what you want to do then I guess this will be a lengthy court battle in the end," Avery told him not backing down over his threat.

She refused to end her relationship with Zac just because Taylor didn't want Zac around Joey. Avery wasn't going to leave the man she loved nor was she going to rip Joey away from the only father she knew. A man who still very well could be her father in the end.

Though of course Avery refused to tell Taylor what Kate had said. Refused to go around in circles with Taylor about something that would very well hopefully be known in a matter of weeks.

Even if they'd be the longest weeks of Avery's life.

Taylor only scoffed as he shook his head, "It's not what I want to do," he sighed before walking away from them. "It's what you're making me do," he told her before getting in his truck.

Avery staying silent as she watched Taylor eventually drive away just as fast as he'd shown up today. A small frown forming on her lips after he was gone because she was scared if Joey was his she'd lose her daughter.

Taylor had the ability to bend things to his will and he had more power sometimes it seemed. Especially with his celebrity status.

"You did good staying strong in the face of Taylor," Zac spoke as he reached out, pulling Avery into him and once she was in his arms she let herself relax some. "God knows it was taking everything I had not to beat the shit out of him."

Letting out a small laugh Avery let her arms go around Zac's waist. "I'm not sure I would have been mad if you did," she told him softly.

Smiling when he leaned in to kiss her briefly on the lips. Too brief in her opinion.

"Good to know for future reference," Zac smiled as he sighed softly. "How about going inside now? We can fix dinner and then watch a movie together as a family. I think Joey mentioned wanting to watch Frozen again."

"At least she's not in her Elsa phase anymore," Avery reasoned as she soon followed Zac inside.

"No, she's in her Anna phase now," Zac retorted with the truth. Joey was in a phase of liking Anna more. Her reason being they had the same hair color.

*****

After dinner that night and after they had both gotten Joey into bed, Avery closed her eyes as she sat with Zac in the bathtub. The taking a bath together having been Zac's idea because obviously he had been able to tell she was still stressed after the run in with Taylor.

Her nerves feeling just a tiny bit frayed but she kept telling herself everything would be alright. That in the end things would work out how they were supposed too.

Zac still by her side and them raising Joey and the baby she was pregnant with as a family.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Zac asked softly as he leaned in to kiss at her neck. His hand sliding around her waist, coming to rest against her still flat belly.

Avery knowing that before long she'd start showing. Something she almost dreaded because with Joey she had gotten so huge but then again Joey had been a big baby. All her weight being mostly baby rather than anything else which had made losing it a bit easier too.

"I just keep thinking that I hope once this is all said and done that Joey is yours," Avery admitted knowing that this was probably the first time she had told him that.

That she wanted Joey to be his because during her pregnancy it had always been her saying she wanted Taylor to be the father. Even if she kept the baby because it was Zac's.

A fact she still hadn't admitted out loud because she wasn't sure how that would make her look. Keeping Joey because Joey had been Zac's and deep down she had wanted that.

She had wanted a tiny piece of Zac because it would remind her that maybe the love she thought had existed did really exist in some ways.

None of it had been a figment of her imagination.

"You really want that?" Zac asked her softly and Avery didn't miss the surprise in his voice.

Nodding her head Avery turned some so she could look at Zac, "I really do," she told him with a smile. "I want her to be yours and she still could be. I mean I know the allergy is a huge thing but it's not like we know your mom's history at all or her family's and I just really really want Joey to be yours. To be ours," she said knowing she was rambling.

Something she did when nervous and it was more than likely going to become a habit during this whole thing with Taylor. Maybe even after if things didn't work out like Avery wanted them too. Knowing Taylor had meant it when he said he'd take Joey from her.

He'd find a way to do just that. Just to get back at her because she chose to be with the brother he had hated so much. 

"I hope she's mine too," Zac stated though Avery could see a wariness on his face. Figured that while he hoped he didn't want to get his hopes up too high.

Just in case things didn't work out.

"Even if she isn't mine though I'm going to fight Taylor with you if he tries to take Joey from us," Zac continued as he leaned in to kiss her lips. "You and her and the baby you're pregnant with. You're all my world now and I'm not giving that up without a fight."

Smiling more Avery kissed Zac back then. This kiss longer than a peck and as they kissed she let out a moan as his hand slowly moved from her belly where it had been resting to down between her legs. Rubbing at her until she was wet and not just wet from the water.

"Zac," she muttered out as she pulled away from the kiss. Whatever she was going to say, dying on her lips when Zac slipped two fingers inside of her gently.

His fingers slowly working her over. Driving her a bit crazy because they made her want his cock and they weren't his cock sadly.

"Just relax," Zac spoke as his lips went back to her shoulder, kissing it softly. "Let me take care of you right now, yeah?" he asked in between kisses. His fingers starting to move a bit faster inside of her.

Her hips starting to arch some as she chased the feeling he was giving her. That high that only he knew how to give her anymore.

"Yeah, I think I can do that," Avery muttered out knowing that she could let him take care of her. She wasn't opposed to that at all.

Not when she'd get an orgasm in the end.

"I love you," she breathed out through a moan as Zac slipped a third finger inside of her.

Zac only laughed as he let his teeth nip at her shoulder, "Are you just saying that because my fingers are inside of your pussy?" he asked her and his breath hitting her skin made goosebumps form.

"No," Avery told him as she shook her head. "I said it because I mean it," she told him right as her orgasm finally hit. "I love you," she said in an almost breathless whisper.

Zac nipping at her skin again and she knew he heard her. Just like she knew he loved her back.


	9. He'll say are you married we'll say no man but you can do the job when you're in town

Avery smiled as she watched Joey excitedly open her Christmas presents. Her gaze going to Zac who was sitting beside her and who had seemed off all morning. Avery almost suspecting he was off because he was thinking like she was. This very well could be the last Christmas they spent together as one happy family.

If Taylor was Joey's father he'd try to ruin that or they'd have to split holidays and she wasn't looking forward to that. She wasn't looking forward to split holidays or just not having her daughter at all.

She wanted to have her daughter with her. She'd never really been without her not even when Zac had her because Zac truly had never tried to take Joey from her. Even when he had wanted more time with her.

"You okay?" Avery asked as she leaned into Zac. Not wanting to alert their daughter that something may be wrong with daddy, because it meant having to explain some things to her.

Things they had decided to hold off on until after New Years because why make the holiday's weird and confusing for her?

She didn't deserve that.

Zac turned to look at her as he nodded, "Just have some things on my mind," he told her with a shrug. "A lot of things really. Most of them bad and I don't really want to dwell on them or talk about them right now," he said and yeah, it was like she suspected.

His mind was off on the what ifs too.

"At least we have right now," Avery told him as she reached for his hand, squeezing it softly. "We're all happy like we should be," she smiled and she knew it wasn't a full on genuine smile because her mind was a lot like Zac's right now. 

"It may be all we have," Zac sighed with a shake of his head as he squeezed her hand back. "Especially if Taylor shows up at dad's tonight just like he did at Thanksgiving," he muttered with an eyeroll. "I wouldn't put it past him now."

"Me either," Avery agreed as she looked back at Joey again. Her fake smile only growing when Joey looked over at them excitedly as she opened one of the many Barbie's she had asked for over the last few months.

This Barbie being an Anna one and though it had said it was from Santa, really Zac had gotten it for her. A gift he had bought months ago even before he'd begun sleeping with Avery again and god that just went to prove how much Zac loved the little girl on the floor.

Avery not even sure Taylor could name a single thing Joey liked or disliked. Something he could have been able to do if he hadn't thrown Avery away like garbage years ago. Only now wanting her and Joey because Joey may have been his.

Avery having realized slowly these last couple of months that Taylor never truly cared about anything unless it was his. She refused to play that game because neither she or her daughter where property that someone could own.

"I do have one more gift," Zac spoke up after Joey had finished opening her presents and both Avery and Joey looked at him curiously. "I'm not sure now's a good time or way to do this but what the hell?" he asked with a laugh as he stood from the couch and went over to the tree.

Avery feeling her eyebrow raise when she watched Zac grab a tiny package she had somehow missed being under her tree. Her heartbeat picking up some when Zac brought the box over to her. Holding it out as he just looked at her expectantly.

Swallowing hard Avery took the box from him as she opened it. Her heartbeat still seeming to pick up when she held a black box in her hand. Her eyes finding Zac, who was looking down at her with a knowing look and he just shrugged all bashful.

Like a nervous kid instead of the man he really was.

Taking a deep breath Avery opened the box as her world seemed to freeze the minute she saw the diamond ring inside the box. A small silver band with a diamond in the middle.

A much simpler ring than she had gotten from Taylor.

"Zac," she spoke as she looked up at him. "Is this..." she started but he dropped down to his knee then, confirming what she knew.

"Marry me?" Zac asked her so softly, still being more of a nervous kid than a man. Avery finding it almost endearing. "I've wanted to spend my life with you for years and I'd love it if you want the same thing. To spend your life with me. You and Joey and the baby and Me. The way it should have always been."

Smiling as she felt tears come to her eyes Avery nodded her head, "Yes," she spoke as her voice cracked some. Her tears finally going down her cheeks. "I'd be honored to spend my life with you and to be your wife," she told him. A small laugh coming from her when she heard Joey squeal with excitement.

"Mommy said yes," Joey said as she moved to walk where they were as Zac took the ring out of the box. Slipping it on Avery's hand. 

"I told you she would," Zac said as he reached out for Joey once she was close enough and while he sounded confident and happy now. Avery knew he'd been nervous before.

Despite his confidence before all this that she'd say yes.

"So this was a secret you two had?" Avery asked him as she let her hand go up to wipe at her tears. 

Zac smiled as he held Joey closer, nodding his head. "I needed a girl's opinion on the ring," he said with a tiny smile. "Though Kate also helped with that too," he told her which made Avery shake her head.

Her bad thoughts from earlier seemed to have faded away now. Because how could they stay when this was a happy occasion?

She was engaged to the man she loved and right now things truly were happy. They truly did have right now, they had this moment and no one could take it from them.

*****

"I'm sorry," Walker said as he sat with Zac and Avery in the living room that night. Vickie had Joey in the kitchen, helping with a batch of cookies. "For telling Taylor about Joey," he spoke and it was the first time since everything that he had apologized.

Zac looked down at his hand, his finger threaded with Avery's. "I get why you did it," he told him and Avery knew he meant what he said. "I think what bothered me the most was that you doubted Joey's paternity so soon. She could still be mine."

"I know that now," Walker told Zac as he looked away and at least he had the audacity to look guilty. "I talked to Kate and Vickie and I know I jumped the gun," he said as he looked back at them. "I can only hope all this isn't putting any unneeded stress on you Avery," he said as he looked over at Avery. "I mean with the pregnancy and all."

Shaking her head Avery only smiled, "So far the pregnancy has been fine even with everything Taylor has done," she said with a shrug. Feeling Zac's grip on her hand tighten. "I'm sure it's going to stay that way too," she smiled because that was one thing she didn't doubt.

She knew she could handle the stress. After all hopefully it would be over soon.

"Does he know about the engagement yet?" Walker questioned and Avery saw the way he looked down at her ring. Like deep down maybe he thought she and Zac were breaking every rule in the book by getting engaged right now.

It wasn't the perfect time to some she knew but it felt perfect to Avery at least. She couldn't think of a better time to decide to spend the rest of her life with Zac.

Now all she prayed for was Joey being his and then maybe she could bring up that idea he had years ago of living in California. All of them leaving Nashville to start over and just be happy, away from Taylor and Noelle and anyone who didn't want them to have that happiness.

He still had the house after all.

"Not yet," Avery answered with a shake of her head. "Though we're not stupid. We know he can't stay in the dark forever."

"So then you'll be fine if I tell him when he brings the kids over tomorrow?"

"It'd be better that way," Zac agreed and Avery nodded because it would. It wasn't like he'd hear it from Noelle now since she had ended that friendship.

It was best if Walker told him and hopefully once he knew he didn't do anything else. What would there be left to do? He'd already threatened to take Joey from her if she stayed with Zac. 

He could do that again but again Avery wouldn't back down. She felt like she already had lost too much time with Zac as it was, she wasn't going to lose anymore.

*****

"This is what you really want?" Zac asked softly as both of them laid tangled together beneath the sheets that night. Avery still feeling like a sticky mess from the sex they had just had.

Sex that may have been the best she had so far though she'd keep that opinion to herself. Though she knew he wouldn't use it against her like Taylor had.

"By this, you mean the engagement?" Avery questioned him as she moved to leave a small kiss on his chest. "Because if so yes, it is what I really want," she smiled before letting her head rest against his chest. Her eyes closing as she listened to his heartbeat.

Feeling his arms wrap around her tighter she only smiled more.

"Why? Are you having second thoughts now Zachary?"

"No," Zac stated with a small laugh. "I was just afraid maybe you didn't want this really. Maybe you had just convinced yourself you had because of my issues, you know?" he asked and his words pained Avery because in the past she had used his issues against him.

But that was before she knew he'd gone to counseling and was getting help. That was before it became obvious he'd changed, maybe never even been as messed up as she told herself because in the end she'd always been parrotting what Noelle said and it was apparent Noelle had issues.

"That's not the case at all," Avery told him as she opened her eyes, moving her head so she could look up at him again. "I want this and I want you. For the rest of my life Zachary Walker Hanson, I want you by my side."

Zac gave her a smile at that, "Good because I want you by my side too for the rest of my life Avery Laurel Lawyer."


	10. Maybe I’ll try falling up

_"You're really going to throw a fit because I'm going with Zac to California?" Avery asked as she turned from where she was standing by the sink to look at her husband._

_A glare on her face and lately she swore that was all she looked at Taylor with was a glare. The last few months having been nothing but arguing between them._

_It was enough that Avery swore sometimes she wanted a divorce. Just wanted out of her marriage, that and maybe she selfishly wanted to be with Zac freely but she'd never mention that out loud._

_"I'm not throwing a fit," Taylor told her as he stepped closer to her. "I just don't understand why he needs you to go with him," he reasoned as his arms went to rest on either side of the sink. Effectively boxing Avery in so that she couldn't leave the room or this conversation._

_"Because he needs help packing his things," Avery shrugged with a roll of her eyes. "I offered if it makes it better," she said watching as a flicker of something that scared her ran over Taylor's face._

_It was a mixture of anger and something else and Avery truly didn't get why he was angry that she wanted to help his brother. It wasn't like she planned to have a romantic getaway with Zac, even if the thought was nice._

_But Taylor was also clueless about the affair, so that couldn't be why he was reacting like an angry fool._

_"It doesn't" Taylor told her as he shook his head. "I think it makes it worse," he sighed as he leaned in, letting his forehead rest against hers and Avery had to shut her eyes._

_Not wanting to look at Taylor right now. Not when he had just jumped on her and was now trying to get in her good graces._

_"He isn't your husband Avery," Taylor told her his voice stern. "I am," he muttered out and she swallowed hard when Taylor let his hips rest against her._

_The bulge in his pants surprising her though it shouldn't. He always seemed to get turned on when they argued, like arguing with her just made him turned on when for Avery arguing with him drained her anymore._

_She didn't like it and she just wanted it all to end._

_"Tay," she whined as she opened her eyes, her hand reaching out to push him away but he grabbed it before she could._

_"No," Taylor told her as he let his head fall to her neck, kissing it rather hard. "You're going to let me fuck you right now," he muttered on her skin. His hot breath making her shiver. "Show you how much I don't like you running off to play Zac's wife when you're mine."_

_Closing her eyes at his words Avery wanted to protest, wanted to tell him no but she knew better. It never would get through to him when he was like this._

_So instead she let him do what he wanted. Not protesting when he moved to lift her up against the sink. Not protesting as he pushed her dress up, pushing her panties to the side roughly._

_Not even protesting when he finally entered her after undoing his own jeans and pushing them down, just enough. Instead she just kept her eyes closed and went through the motions. Despite the fact that he was being none to gentle with her._

_Avery knowing she'd feel him for the plane ride tomorrow which was what he wanted. He wanted her to feel him and remember this._

*****

Standing in the shower, Avery closed her eyes when Zac's arms slid around her from behind. A soft moan escaping her as he kissed on her shoulder softly.

"You nervous about today?" Zac asked against her skin. His hand going to rest on the small bump that she had developed over the last few days. A bump one could almost miss if they weren't looking carefully but Zac had been and of course Avery was.

Needed to make sure she could still fit in her clothes seeing as she had to make bra adjustments the week after New Years. Having to go up one cup size.

"A bit," Avery confessed with a sigh as she turned in Zac's arms. Her eyes opening as she faced him now. "How do we explain to Joey why we have to go to the hospital today?" she asked him with a raised eyebrow.

Avery still drawing a blank on how to tell her daughter why she had to get her cheek swabbed today. That in a matter of days or weeks everything she thought she knew may be changed and that some man she had only met once may try tearing her away from the only parents she knew.

None of this was fair and none of this was what she had in mind when she had been pregnant with Joey.

"We'll think of something," Zac told her as he let his hands go to rest on her cheeks then. "We'll just explain the bare minimum somehow," he said with a small smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Letting her know his smile was fake. Something just for show.

"Hopefully in the end we won't have to tell her everything because she'll be mine."

"That would be the best outcome," Avery spoke as she gave a sad smile. Knowing she really wanted that because god if Taylor was her father everything would be changed.

Joey's whole life would be a mess and it would be because Avery had selfishly chosen to keep her because she had wanted a piece of Zac. 

If she had even suspected she had been Taylor's maybe the outcome would have been different, especially since Avery knew how Joey would have been conceived.

A fuck against the sink that Avery hadn't wanted. Hadn't even enjoyed.

*****

_"Zac?" Avery asked softly as she turned on the light in the bedroom that Zac had been locked away in all day. Ever since they had been alerted by Kate and Isaac about the leak in the press. How it was now public knowledge that Zac was a porn star. "Are you okay?" she asked him as she moved to sit down next to him._

_Zac turned his head to look at her and she could tell from his red rimmed eyes that he wasn't okay. He was a broken fragile boy instead of the cocky, strong man she had grown to know and develop weird feelings for._

_Feelings she shouldn't have because she was married to his a brother. A man she didn't want to think about because it was apparent he had leaked the story._

_She knew she hadn't and neither had Noelle and that only left Taylor. Something Avery was certain he had done out of anger that she was here in California with Zac and not at home with him._

_"I'm sorry," Avery told him as she reached out and let her hand go to rest on his cheek softly. "I'm so sorry for what my husband has done," she apologized with a sigh._

_Swearing that a part of her hated Taylor in that moment. More so than she had hated him the night he had fucked her on the sink._

_Letting out a laugh Zac moved away from Avery's touch then. "Your husband is dead to me," he told her as if just the thought of Taylor bothered him. "I don't know a Taylor anymore."_

_"I understand that thinking," Avery nodded her head. "But he is still your brother. Regardless of everything and maybe one day..."_

_"No," Zac spoke interrupting Avery. "Just because he is my brother that doesn't mean I'm going to forgive him one day. I hate him because he has ruined my life. You know Nikki's lawyers are going to have a field day with this and try to go back to court. Take everything I won away from me and I just...I want to fucking die Avery," he admitted and his words hurt Avery deep._

_Deeper than she had ever been hurt before._

_Not even saying anything Avery closed the distance between them and kissed Zac. Almost afraid he'd push her away but he didn't. Instead he kissed her back almost greedy like. His lips crashing into hers with a passion and as the kiss progressed Avery moved into his lap._

_Her eyes falling shut as his arms went around her waist. Just wanting to lose herself in this moment and enjoy it. Enjoy being with him and maybe making him feel something that wasn't horrible._

_Give him a reason to live instead of dying because she didn't want that. Avery couldn't picture a life without Zac. She didn't want to picture that even._

_She wanted a life with Zac and selfishly she wanted to spend her life with Zac even if she knew she couldn't. But at least she had right now._

_For now she could pretend they could spend their lives together. A life where no hearts would get broken by their decision._

_Letting out a moan when her hips moved down into his Avery pulled away from the kiss. Looking down into Zac's brown eyes._

_"I want you," she told him unsure if he'd even want sex right now. Not when his life was shit. "Please let me show you how much I want you Zachary," she whispered as her lips moved down to his neck. Kissing the skin there softly which caused him to moan out and she figured his silence was answer enough._

_He'd let her do this. He'd let her make love to him and maybe heal him in ways. A weird sort of sexual healing and not the kind that Marvin Gaye sang about or so Avery didn't think it was the same._

_Pushing him back on the bed Avery moved down to kiss him again. Her hand starting to work on the button down shirt he had on. A moan slipping out of her as well as Zac's hips moved up into hers and she could feel the slight bulge he had._

_A bulge she knew she had created and it made her happy to know she could get him aroused even in the state he had been in just a few minutes ago._

*****

Avery frowned as she sat in the car with a crying Joey after the tests at the hospital. Joey not taking the explanation of why she had needed a cheek swab done well.

An explanation that consisted of they just needed to make sure somethings were okay with her. It wasn't the best one but for now it was all they had. Because again how did they tell Joey the truth?

It seemed neither she nor Zac knew how to do that and so now they had a crying child in the backseat. Zac stopped at the store on the way home because he said if she had been good they could get ice cream but now well she wasn't being particularly bad. 

The three year old was just scared that something was wrong with her. That she was sick or something.

"Am I gonna die mommy?" Joey asked through tears a small hiccup coming out of her.

"No, sweet Josephine," Avery cooed as she undid her seatbelt to look at Joey. "You aren't going to die. This was just a simple test to make sure some things we know about you are okay," she said with a sad smile now. A smile that wanted to be a frown again.

"Promise?" Joey asked as her bottom lip stuck out, quivering as she continued to cry.

"I promise baby girl," Avery told her as she sighed, wishing she could pick Joey up and hold her right now but that would have to wait until they were home.

Avery swearing if Taylor were right in front of her at this very moment she'd kill him for what he was doing. She'd kill him for everything really.

She also half regretted getting with him but if she hadn't then she'd never have met Zac and she did want to keep that part of her life. She wanted to keep when she met the man she loved.

*****

"Don't even ask it," Avery muttered out as she laid in bed beside Zac, that night, watching as he had started to open his mouth and she knew the words out of it would be him asking her if she were okay and she wasn't and she was getting sick of that question.

How could she be okay when her life was literally a goddamn soap opera right now?

"I'm not okay," Avery admitted with a sigh. "I know what Kate said and I know she thinks there is a possibility you are Joey's father and most days I am good at telling myself that is the truth. You are and everyone is wrong but today after Joey's crying spell in the car it's hard. It's hard to be okay when Taylor could be her dad and ruin everything my life has become," she frowned as she sat up in the bed some.

Not chancing a look at Zac but she was glad he was letting her rant. Letting her get what she needed to say out.

"When we came home and I slipped away during dessert I was up here looking at her baby book," Avery frowned as she felt a lump form in her throat. "I was trying to find any resemblance to you that I could and when I found ones my brain kept telling me it was just because you were Taylor's brother. That I'm stupid for having hope and that I should have gotten rid of her when Kate asked if I wanted too when she first suspected I was pregnant."

After that admission Avery only looked down at the blanket around her. The room falling silent and she finally dared a glance at Zac, seeing him looking sad as well as maybe slightly horrified by her last admission.

She was horrified by it too but in the end she knew it was her anxiety. 

"I wasn't going to ask if you were okay," Zac finally spoke as he gave her a sad sort of crooked smile. "But obviously you needed to think I was so you could vent," he continued and his words made her furrow her eyebrows, wondering what he was really going to ask. "And I get your worries baby. I do but god don't ever think you should have gotten rid of Josephine even if she is Taylor's. I mean for the longest time you wanted her to be his," he said as his smile faded some.

Avery feeling a tiny bit of her heart crack as she remembered how many times she had told him that. Hadn't she even been cruel enough to utter those words in the delivery room?

"It's what I thought I wanted," Avery sighed as she felt Zac reach out to rest an arm on her shoulder. "Convinced myself it was because I thought you..after Noelle I thought I was crazy in thinking you loved me. So I was bitter and I convinced myself of a lot of foolish things. I regret them all now and if I'm being honest I kept Joey because I wanted a piece of you Zac. I wanted to have some small reminder that maybe I hadn't been crazy and maybe our time in California gave me a piece of proof that we did love each other...but god if she is Taylor's I don't know what she is proof of. She would have been conceived during a night when I'm pretty sure Taylor raped me or came close to it," she whispered finally putting the correct term to use.

It hadn't been true fucking. Not when she hadn't enjoyed it and not when she had tried to stop him at first. She hadn't said no but her hand reaching out to stop him had been her no.

After that admission Avery watched as Zac's nostrils flared some. Wondering if he was remembering that night before their affair started when he had heard an encounter between her and Taylor that he always claimed had been rape because she had been saying no....until she hadn't been anymore.

Avery knowing she had never been sure it was rape even if she had bruises on her thighs after it and even if she had said no and been drunk out of her mind. She had at least then during that encounter enjoyed it some. Stopped protesting when she started to feel good.

But the time on the sink she had never enjoyed it. She had just closed her mind down during that encounter. Shut everything off.

"I'm going to kill my brother," Zac stated softly, his hand moving higher up on Avery's arm. "I mean not really but I want too."

Giving Zac a sad smile Avery only leaned down to peck his lips, "Please don't," she told him knowing she wanted Zac to not go to jail. "I'd love to marry you and spend forever with you and I don't want jail to come between us," she told him finally able to joke as the mood in the room lightened some.

Neither of them feeling on edge or maybe Avery just no longer felt on edge after venting, getting all her feelings out to Zac.

Zac only laughed before pecking her lips back, Avery slowly moving away from him long enough to shut the lamp by the bed off. 

"So, if you weren't going to ask me if I was okay earlier, what were you going to ask?" she asked curiously as she moved to lay beside Zac again.

Letting her legs tangle with his automatically. Just wanting the simple comfort of knowing Zac was there and that he wasn't leaving her.

"I was going to ask if you wanted to have sex," Zac revealed without any shame and his words only made Avery laugh. "But there is always..."

"No," Avery stated as she leaned in to leave a small kiss on his cheek. "I want too now," she sighed knowing she was slightly turned on now and relaxed enough. "After the day I've had I think I'd love it if you were inside of me," she spoke on his skin as she continued to kiss the skin on his chest.

Smirking some when he moaned out at her actions.

"Well, if that's what you want I'm not going to deny you that," Zac told her teasingly and Avery only laughed as she let her lips trail up to his own.

Their lips sliding against each other easily as Avery moved him onto his back fully. Her body soon moving on top of his and yeah this was what she wanted.

What she needed to help her heal from today's problems. She needed him and sex with him. Needed to know he was there and they were a team.


	11. We made magic that night

Chewing on her lip Avery just looked at her reflection as she stood in her bedroom after getting ready for court. Three weeks having passed since the DNA test on Joey and now the results were in and Avery swore her nerves were on edge.

Felt like she could throw up and she knew now it wouldn't be because of her baby. It'd just be her nerves alone driving her crazy. Making her worry over things like what if her life was completely changed after today?

What if they'd have to tell Joey the truth and how did they even go about that?

Hearing the door of her bedroom open, Avery turned her head to see Zac coming into her room. A suit fitting him nicely though his tie was undone and she only rolled her eyes at the question in his eyes. He needed help with his tie and of course she'd help him with it.

"I swear," Avery rolled her eyes as she shook her head. "You'd be lost without me," she told him with a chuckle as she walked to where he was. Helping him with his tie.

"I'm always lost without you," Zac winked as he gave her a smirk. "I'm just glad you're realizing that," he told her as he leaned in to kiss her after his tie was done. 

Avery blushing when Zac looked her over after he pulled away from the kiss. 

"You ready?" he asked her as as he finally looked back into her eyes. "Or do you just want to stay home and never know the truth?"

Laughing Avery blushed even more as she moved to lean into Zac some. Feeling content as he held onto her, his hand running up and down her back soothingly. "It'd be nice to stay here in blissful ignorance but knowing would be nice too," she sighed because deep down they needed answers.

They deserved them no matter what.

"Is Joey ready to go to your dad and Vickie's?" Avery asked with a raised eyebrow because Zac besides getting himself ready was supposed to have been getting Joey ready as well.

Joey heading to her grandparents since Zac was going with Avery to court. Zac wanting to hear the results when she did as well as be there to support her if things didn't go their way. The last having been unsaid but Avery just knew Zac well enough to know that had been another reason he asked to come.

That or he was going to kill Taylor publicly and make it easier for people to arrest him after. Avery hoping she was just making that last bit up as a weird sort of sick sense of humor to get her through right now.

"Yeah, she is ready," Zac nodded his head as he pulled away from Avery. Avery already feeling a bit empty with him gone. "But I think she is probably going to be moody all day from being woken up early."

Shaking her head Avery moved to leave the bedroom finally, "Of course she will be," she said wanting to add on that she was just like Zac in that. Needing to sleep in or she was like some damn grumpy bear but she didn't.

Wasn't sure if she could joke about that now. Not when she wasn't sure if Joey was Zac's and that whole idea was making her nervous because she wanted Joey to be Zac's.

Because if she was Taylor's nothing would be the same and she really didn't want to have Taylor in her life again. Regardless of how many times she had once hoped for that very thing before when she had been dumb and naive.

*****

_Standing outside Zac's apartment door after Taylor had thrown her out, Avery looked down at the floor after knocking. Not sure why she had came here. Not sure why she had ran to Zac when Zac was the reason she was in the mess she was in._

_She was pregnant with Zac's baby and her husband no longer wanted her anymore. He'd said things and now it seemed like they'd never be able to go back to how they were. Their marriage was done and over and Avery was half sure she was numb inside._

_She had foolishly tried to save something that was doomed because hadn't she suspected for months now she was pregnant? She should have just ended it herself that day Zac had shown up and taken her in the bed she shared with Taylor but no._

_If Avery had ended it then where would she have gone? Because Zac didn't love her. How could he when he had been with Noelle._

_Hearing the front door open Avery looked up watching as Zac took one look at her and his face fell. His arm automatically going out as he helped to usher her inside of his apartment._

_"What's my brother done now?" Zac asked her softly as he shut the apartment door behind her. "I mean Taylor's the only person who always makes you look like that."_

_"Like what?" Avery asked not even turning to face Zac. Instead she just walked to his couch where she sat down, listening as Zac headed into his kitchen off the living room._

_Knew he was getting her a drink though she hadn't asked for one. But that was Zac for you, he was always too nice for his own good even when hurting people and he had hurt Avery._

_Him sleeping with Noelle stung even now months later. Avery knowing why but wanting to deny it because there was no way she could love Zac._

_She'd just convinced herself she had._

_"Like he's killed your soul," Zac answered as he came to where Avery was. A glass of water in his hand and Avery took it from him, taking a tiny drink. "What's my brother done this time Avery?"_

_Taking a deep breath Avery took a long drink from her water this time before setting the glass on the coffee table. "He kicked me out," she confessed watching as a confused look settled on Zac's face._

_Knew he was wondering why Taylor would do such a thing since he supposedly loved her._

_"He kicked me out because I'm pregnant," Avery continued before Zac even had a chance to ask her any questions. "Three months pregnant so it's your baby."_

_Zac only stared at her as if he was slow in processing her words and maybe he was. It was a huge bombshell after all._

_"You're pregnant?" he finally asked and Avery nodded her head. "And it's mine?" he asked another question and again Avery nodded her head watching as a small smile played on Zac's lips._

_Avery remembering one of the very first conversations they had on how they had both wanted a family. Avery trying for a baby with Taylor without even knowing about his vasectomy and Zac telling her about Nikki. Not even revealing the Natalie stuff and how Ezra could have been his but in the end wasn't._

_But now well it seemed they both got what they wanted. They were having a baby and they were going to be a family whether they liked it or not and Avery kept telling herself she didn't._

_Except she had kept this baby because it was Zac's. She had kept it because she could have a piece of him now when she wasn't sure he truly loved her at all._

*****

Exiting the courtroom after finding out the results of the DNA test Avery couldn't help but smile as she laced her fingers with Zac's. Her hand squeezing his because it felt like she could breathe lighter now.

Everything felt lighter now that she knew Joey was his.

"She's really ours," Avery smiled as leaned up to kiss him on the lips briefly as they walked out of the courthouse. Heading to his truck. "Joey is our daughter."

"She is," Zac nodded his head looking as thrilled as Avery felt. Avery half sure some of his excitement was due to the way Taylor had left the courtroom like a petulant child who had lost his favorite toy. "I knew..I just had a gut feeling this morning that we'd find out she was," he told her sounding sincere.

Avery wishing she had been that sure this morning but she hadn't.

Then again she always was the more pessimistic one sometimes out of them. It helped balance them out or so she thought anyway.

"Oh yeah?" Avery asked as they reached his truck. "And you couldn't have spread some of that good feeling stuff around?" she asked him teasing him.

"I would have but I'm not sure you would have listened to me," Zac shrugged as he smiled a bit more. "I know how you are when you worry Avie. Nothing can get through to you."

Going silent Avery knew Zac was right but before she could speak up finally and tell him that Taylor showed up by Zac's truck like some ninja. Avery not missing the way Zac stepped in between her and Taylor like Zac was afraid he'd hurt her in public.

Avery almost not positive he wouldn't do that either.

"I just came by to say congratulations," Taylor spoke his voice all bitter sounding. "You get to keep your happy family," he sneered.

"You act like this was a game Taylor," Zac sighed softly. "Like I won Avery and Joey somehow."

"No, this isn't a game," Taylor denied as he shook his head though his words fell a bit flat. "But you get my whore of an ex-wife," he said as he moved some so he could look at Avery.

Avery feeling a shiver running down her spine.

"And you get your bastard kid after all," he added on and yeah, his last words proved that everything he had said about loving her and wanting her back were all a show.

Things he had said when he thought Joey was his and when he thought he'd have a shot with Avery. A shot he lost a long time ago.

"And now you two can raise her and your next bastard child like a fucking.." Taylor started but before he could finish his sentence Zac finally moved from where he was standing, his fist connecting with Taylor's nose and Avery cringed when she heard bones shatter.

Knowing that Zac had probably broken Taylor's nose.

"You say anything else and I'll fucking kill you," Zac muttered through clenched teeth as he backed away from Taylor as fast as he had lunged on him. 

Taylor only held his now bleeding nose as he glared at them, Avery swearing he muttered a few curse words before walking away.

"That was a stupid move," Avery scolded Zac when he turned to face her though despite her scolding him she couldn't help but smile either.

Because Taylor had deserved it.

"Yeah, yeah," Zac said as he rolled his eyes. "If he tries to do anything I'll just find a way to make sure everyone knows his true colors," he told her and Avery only looked at Zac skeptically.

She didn't doubt he'd try it she just wasn't sure it would work since the world wanted to see Taylor as the untarnished country music star.

"Now, can we go and get our daughter from dad and Vickie's?" Zac asked her with a smile and again just hearing Zac call Joey their daughter made Avery feel light again.

Things had worked out like they should. They had Joey and they had the baby on the way and they were engaged to be married.

She wasn't sure anything could ruin this. They'd get their happy ending they had deserved before. The one that Noelle and Taylor had denied them.

Nodding her head Avery reached out as she pulled him into her again, "Yeah, we can go get our daughter," she told him before kissing him on the lips softly.

Feeling glad that now the stress of this was all over though she knew a new stress would envelop her. Wedding planning as well as preparing for a second baby.

Though they'd both decided the wedding was going to happen just a few months after she gave birth to their second child. But still she knew the planning would have to happen before and that was stressful as well.

At least though she'd have Zac and she'd also have Kate, her soon to be sister-in-law again and a girl who she was sure was slowly replacing that best friend role that Noelle had once filled.

The best part though was there'd be no Taylor to be a thorn in their side since she and Joey were tainted again. Both of them being Zac's in ways which meant Taylor couldn't lay claim on them. Not that he ever could have to begin with because she and her daughter weren't property.

*****

_"Are you sure you want to go again?" Zac asked Avery softly as he turned them over so he was on his back on the bed. "This...fuck I don't think I've had sex this many times before," he laughed as his hand slipped between her legs._

_Avery's eyes falling shut as he did so because she was so sensitive to his touch. Her pussy aching from the number of times she'd orgasmed already and just from the stretch of having him inside of her three times already._

_"Just one more," Avery whispered as she moved into his hand, a moan slipping past her lips. "Then we can sleep or eat or both," she smiled as she leaned down to kiss him softly. "Though I find it hard to believe Mister porn star hasn't had sex this many times before," she told him with a sigh._

_Not sure if now was the time to tease him on his porn. Not when Taylor had leaked to the press about it and made Zac feel so awful._

_Avery using the sex they were having now as a way to heal him._

_"Well I haven't," Zac told her as he kissed her again though it was brief. "But if we're going to go again can you do me a favor?" he asked her sounding so bashful._

_"What?" Avery asked him as she raised an eyebrow._

_"Take your wedding band off," Zac spoke as his voice went low. His hand rubbing at her wet flesh again. "Just...for one night I want to pretend you're mine fully," he told her and she wasn't sure why his words did funny things to her._

_Why they made her stomach do the good kind of somersaults but they did and so without even fighting Zac, Avery reached down and took her wedding band off. Laying them on the bedside table before kissing Zac again and this time as they kissed his hand moved away from her._

_Avery finding a way to position herself over him before soon sliding down on him. Both of them moaning out into the others mouth at that._

_Avery breaking the kiss as his hands went to her hips when she started to move on him. Her body making a nice rhythm, Zac just laying there contently as he let her fuck herself on his cock. His hands just holding her hips and she knew from the smirk that he was more than content._

_He was plain enjoying this and really she couldn't blame him. What man wouldn't enjoy the view of a woman riding their cock?_

_Biting her tongue Avery almost wanted to open her mouth and utter three words that could ruin everything about this moment but she didn't. Instead she kept them to herself because she didn't want to ruin this._

_Wanted this to last a bit longer. Until tomorrow when they'd have to face reality or maybe when they got back to Nashville and really had to face reality. Especially with what Taylor had done._

_Avery fully intending to chew Taylor out over it._

_But for now she had Zac and Taylor didn't exist. Her wedding band was off and she was just Zac's. Solely Zac's for right now and just the thought of that it was enough to get her close to the edge. Get her close to her orgasm._

_Zac beginning to move with her finally being that tipping point that took her all the way over the edge. Her walls closing around him at the moment she felt him still again and when she felt something sticky going down her thigh she knew he had came too._

_Avery not even positive she had ever came at the same time as anyone before. She'd never done it with Taylor and she was sure this was a first for her and Zac...and the first boy she lost her virginity too in high school had been too quick and she hadn't even orgasmed then._

_So this was new and she kind of liked it. Liked feeling him come at the same time that she had._


	12. Because without you I wouldn’t live a day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Excerpt: It had always been about his pleasure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is finally over :). My first finished semi long fic in so long and it feels good to finish something finally. I am hoping to get the soundtrack posted some time in the coming days so if you want you can look for that update :).
> 
> Thanks to everyone who read and or commented or left kudos :).

Chewing on her lip Avery looked down at her wedding band as she sat on the hotel bed. Having changed out of her wedding dress and taken her makeup off.

Her whole body feeling exhausted but she didn't want to sleep. Not until her husband was out of the bathroom because maybe it was cliche but she did want to have sex with him.

Felt like if they didn't they'd be breaking some rules or something. Then again weren't they doing that already?

Hadn't they ruined every rule before all this?

The first being they had started out while she had been married to his brother. The second being they had both of their babies before even getting married.

Usually people did everything differently yet Avery and Zac seemed to do everything ass backwards and the wrong way. But despite all that she still loved him and she didn't regret the fact that she was now his wife. She wanted to be his wife and had wanted that for such a long time.

Looking up from her ring when she heard the bathroom door open, Avery smiled as she watched Zac come out of the bathroom clad in nothing but his boxers. His hair down from the bun he had worn all day even during the reception.

"You look as tired as I feel," Avery teased when Zac finally sat down beside her. "Today wear you out too?" she asked him watching as he rolled his eyes at her playfully.

Though she knew today had wore him out. Besides the wedding they both had to juggle their kids at the wedding. Joey who was four now and baby Aurora who they fondly called Rory was five months old and both of their daughters were such a handful.

Avery swearing both were such mini Zac's that she wasn't sure she wanted a third child. Though she knew she'd probably have one in the end at some point because both she and Zac wanted a boy and maybe third time would be the charm.

If not then they'd just settle for three lovely girls. They'd love them just the same in the end.

"Of course it wore me out," Zac told her with a shake of his head. "Joey wouldn't let me stop dancing with her," he laughed though he had a fond look in his eye. 

Avery knowing that Zac loved the fact that Joey was still very much a daddy's girl. She also feared Rory would turn out to be one as well just because of how much Zac doted on her. Just like he had doted on Joey when Joey had been that age.

At least the times when Avery had allowed him that but no. She wasn't going to think about their past because they'd worked through that and they had the future to look forward too.

A future that included a move to California once they got back from their honeymoon. Both of them it seemed wanting to make the fantasy they had talked about years ago a reality now and what better way to start a new chapter then in the house in California where that dream had been talked about?

The dream they were now living.

"Well then since we're both so exhausted, maybe we should just go to sleep," Avery told him through a fake yawn that almost felt more like a real one because she was indeed exhausted.

Knew when they finally made it to Hawaii, where they'd be honeymooning, that she would probably sleep in their first day. Then they could resume their sex life as well as sightseeing.

Zac shook his head as he inched closer to her, "No," he told her with a tiny smile as they locked eyes. "I'm not that wore out," he said as he let his hand go to rest on her thigh.

Avery keeping her eyes locked with his at that, "Oh?" she asked him teasingly with a raised eyebrow. "Then what would you rather do then sleep Mr. Hanson?" she teased again knowing exactly what he'd rather be doing because she wanted it too.

She wanted to make love to him as his wife. Had been waiting to finally consummate their marriage since they arrived at this hotel.

"I think you know what I'd rather be doing Mrs. Hanson," Zac muttered out and before she could say anything else to him Zac closed the space between them as his lips crashed against hers none to gently. 

Her eyes falling shut as she kissed him back. Her exhaustion seeming to go away some then but she was sure once they were through she'd be exhausted again in the end. Good sex had the ability to do that to people and sex with Zac was always really good.

Avery swore he knew her body well. Probably even better than Taylor ever had but then again Zac tried to know it. Tried to know everything that'd get her off or bring her pleasure where at times Taylor hadn't done that.

It had always been about his pleasure.

Deepening the kiss with Zac, Avery let out a moan into his mouth when his hand went higher up her thigh. Her body already starting to get turned on for him.

Her cunt aching for a friction that only he could give her.

Pulling away from the kiss Avery reached down to take her own pajama top off before laying back down against the bed. A smile forming on her lips when Zac leaned down over her. Their lips soon meeting in another kiss and this time his hand went to rest on the waistband of her pajama pants.

Her hips moving up some hoping he'd get that she wanted him to either take her pants off or slip his hand inside of them and work her over some. Get her good and ready by teasing her for what she really wanted which was his cock.

Another moan soon slipped past her lips when Zac it seemed did get the hint of what she wanted. His hand finding it's way inside of her pants as he began to rub her through her panties.

The wet spot she had there getting worse and she didn't even feel ashamed of it. Not when she knew Zac wanted to get her more turned on.

His ego growing at how wet she was right now and maybe after all this she'd have to find a way to take his ego down a notch or two because she surely didn't need another husband who had a huge ego.

Then again Zac was better at keeping his ego in check even when he had a tendency to be cocky.

"You want me don't you Avery?" Zac asked as he pulled away from the kiss. His hand slipping inside of her panties where he let his hand rub against her wet flesh.

Avery's hips bucking up into his touch and all she could do was nod her head.

"Say it," Zac told her as his lips went to her neck. Avery's eyes falling shut as he kissed softly at the skin on her neck. "Say you want me," he muttered against her skin as he let two of his fingers slip inside of her and again Avery let her hips move up.

A moan coming out of her before she could answer him with words. The action causing Zac to nip at her skin some and she couldn't help but get even more turned on by that.

Loving the slight bit of pain she felt by him biting her.

"I want you Zac," Avery spoke finally obeying what he wanted. "I want you so fucking much. You think you can fuck me soon?" she asked as her eyes closed tighter when he began to move his fingers inside of her and she guessed in a way he was fucking her.

He wasn't dumb though and he knew that wasn't what she meant. He was just teasing her still, prolonging what they both wanted no matter how tired they were.

Again Zac pulled away from her as he looked down at her, his fingers still moving inside of her at a slow pace. "I don't know if I can or not," he answered with a wink. "It depends on if you can beg me to fuck you," he said and it was after that Avery noticed the way his eyes got darker.

A tiny shiver running down her spine then because she liked it. She liked knowing how much he wanted her just from the dark look of desire in his eyes.

"You think you can beg me to fuck you?" he asked her softly before leaning down to kiss her briefly. A whimper slipping past her lips as he kissed her because his fingers moved out of her aching cunt.

Her whimper only growing after he pulled away and she watched as he finally removed his hand from her pants. Soon pushing them off of her along with her panties. Leaving her naked and needy beneath him.

"Please fuck me," Avery spoke keeping a whine to her voice as she did so. "I need your cock inside of me Zachary. Need you filling me up and making me come in the way that only you know how."

Zac seemed to smirk at her words and Avery just watched as he made no move to remove his boxers. Boxers which were doing nothing to hide his visible erection.

"You're only prolonging your own pleasure," Avery continued as she reached up letting her hands go to his underwear which she slowly peeled off him. His smirk growing as he lifted his hips to help her remove his underwear. "You're making the hard on last longer," she said as she let her hand wrap around his cock.

Loving the moan that came out of him as she began to stroke him.

"Don't you want to fuck me?" Avery asked him turning the tables somewhat. "Because I really fucking want you to fuck me Zachary," she muttered as her voice went softer, more seductive as she kept stroking him.

His hips bucking some which caused him to thrust farther up into her hand.

Though before she could say anymore Zac finally reached down, taking her hand off his cock and moving himself between her legs. Avery biting down on her lip when he aligned himself with her entrance and when he finally pushed inside instead of moaning out she just bit down even harder on her lip.

Wanting to save her moans for later. As well as maybe being afraid of being a bit too loud. Not sure if the people in the hotel room beside them would enjoy hearing them having sex.

"I love you Avery," Zac spoke as he began to thrust inside of her. "Love you so much."

Smiling Avery looked up at him as she reached up to push some hair out of his face, "I love you too Zac," she said before leaning into kiss him. "So fucking much," she muttered out into his mouth as she began to move her body with his.

The only sounds filling the room after that being their moans and the bed moving slightly.

Avery glad that neither of them had decided to go to sleep because as cliche as it was, she really liked having wedding night sex. Liked spending her first night as a married woman making love to the man who she was positive she'd spend her life with.

Knew she wasn't going to give him up again for anyone. Zac was the man she wanted and maybe in a weird way sleeping with Taylor last year and having him in her life again briefly was meant to happen so she could find her way back to Zac.

Find her way to the man who had never stopped loving her and who had never treated her like someone who was just a prize to him. She was the woman he loved and he treated her like that. Always had despite everything.

Coming out of her own head when Zac flipped them over Avery just looked down at him with a raised eyebrow curiously.

"Fuck yourself on me Avie," Zac muttered out as he pushed his hips up. His cock going just a bit farther inside of her. "Love the sight of you fucking yourself on me."

Blushing at his words Avery soon did what he wanted, beginning to move on him as she fucked herself on his cock. Riding him like she hadn't done it in a while when truth be told she had just done it three days ago when they had found time to have a quickie when the girls had been taking a nap.

Letting her head fall back as she felt herself getting closer to her end Avery shut her eyes when her orgasm finally hit. Her body still moving as Zac's name slipped out of her mouth over and over.

Her head only moving back up when she felt his nails digging into the skin at her waist and she opened her eyes to look down at him. Knowing from the blissed out look on his own face, his eyes shut as he smirked that he too had reached his end and if that wasn't telling enough she could feel some of his come going down her leg.

Avery knowing that soon they'd have to get up and clean off before bed. If they had the energy that was because once again her whole body felt exhausted.

The good kind of exhausted.

*****

Yawning as she laid in bed beside Zac after both of them had taken a shower, Avery moved into him letting her arm rest against his waist.

"I'm glad I'm finally your wife," she told him as she left a light kiss on his bare chest. "I'm glad that I get to spend forever with you."

Zac laughed some as he turned his head to look at her, his arm going around her shoulder. "That may have been the cheesiest thing you have ever said Avie," he smiled before leaning in to kiss her forehead. "But I'm glad I get to spend forever with you too and that you're finally my wife after all this time," he sighed and it was a content sigh.

Things were finally the way they should have always been. She and Zac were husband and wife and they were raising their babies as a family.


	13. Soundtrack

  * How Long? by Paul McDonald
  * Wildcard by Paul McDonald
  * New Lovers by Paul McDonald
  * In A Way by Hanson
  * Accidental Babies by Damien Rice
  * Slow Dancing In A Burning Room by John Mayer
  * Don't Mess With My Love by M2M
  * You Win My Love by Shania Twain
  * Winter Wonderland by Hanson
  * Down by Hanson
  * All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You by Heart
  * Bittersweet by Hanson




End file.
